


You're Not the Ordinary Type

by chasingthebooty



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Crossdressing, Eren runs a bakery, M/M, Pastel!Eren, crossdressing!eren, mafia, mafia!levi, mafia/bakery au, some smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-16
Updated: 2015-07-26
Packaged: 2018-04-09 17:08:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 23,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4357439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasingthebooty/pseuds/chasingthebooty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi’s a mafia member who has a thing for the cutie who serves out bakery bread and wears short skirts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mikasass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikasass/gifts).



            “Back again, Levi?”

            “Shut it, Jaeger.”

            “But this is the third time today.”

            “So?”

            “ _So?_ Most people don’t even come by three times a _month._ ”

            “Do I _look_ like most people?”

            Eren gives Levi a sheepish smile. He, in fact, _doesn’t_ look like most people, if only for the fact that he always dresses like he’s going to a funeral. And that’s not even an exaggeration - he _always_ looks like somebody’s just died, with his dark pants and his dark hair and his dark shirts and his dark _everything._ The only thing about him that _isn’t_ dark is his, admittedly, _stunningly_ pale skin.

            Today, he bears a tight shirt - black, of course - that reveals even the most rigid of muscles on his upper body. Beneath that, low on his hips, are rich ebony denim trousers that tuck neatly into his _fucking black_ combat boots, boots that reach only just above his ankles. His hair is set in its usual position, charcoal-shaded bangs that fall a little higher than his eyes, parted closer to the left rather than in the center.

            Honestly, what with his depressing - albeit, _badass_ \- outfit, Levi looks _intimidating._ Almost as if he could so _easily_ reel his leg back and slam his foot into Eren’s skull and smash him to pieces - which, he probably _could,_ if he wanted to. Levi’s not a bad person, however. For as long as Eren's known him, he hasn't so much as hurt a butterfly.

            “I guess not,” Eren shrugs in response to Levi’s rhetorical question. “So what did you bring me, this time?”

            “Who says that I brought you anything?”

            “Mm, nobody, but it’s just, you brought me stuff the _other_ two times that you walked in here today.” Eren nudges his head to the right, indicating the pile of things that sits on the counter beside him - it’s a small lavender rose, and alongside it is a much larger white rose. Levi hadn’t done more than merely set the purple one down before leaving - which left Eren confused as hell and wondering if that was supposed to be some sort of tip - but Levi _had_ actually bothered to give Eren the white one by hand.

            Levi lets out a huff of air. “That’s true.”

            “So? What is it?”

            “Pink.”

            Levi shifts his weight onto his right foot, and he reaches into his left pocket, pulling out a beaten up rose. It’s a light coral, and as Eren takes it into his fingers, he sees that it’s wilting. The edges are browned, the stem stunted, the aroma nonexistent.

            “Why are you bringing me all the-”

            “Hey, princess,” Levi interrupts, eyeing the display case that Eren sits behind, “Any chance I can buy a loaf of bread before I head out?”

            “' _Princess?'_ ” Eren mocks with an eyebrow raise and a smile working its way onto his lips. Levi gives him a smirk in response.

            Eren stands up, setting the pink rose down next to its purple and white friends. He pulls a key out from where it was hiding in his shirt, and he kneels down behind the counter, unlocking the glass door that separates him from the pastries. He pulls it open, and - using a paper bag that he'd grabbed from where a stack of them lie just next to Eren’s new flowers - he slips a small loaf of bread in, wraps it up, and hands it over to Levi.

            “For you,” Eren says with a wink, “For _free._ ”

            “Free?”

            “Mhm. Payback for all the flowers.”

            “Payback, huh?” Levi says, “Meaning that you _don’t_ appreciate them?”

            “I- No, I never said that,” Eren defends, “I just meant, ah, I meant _payback_ in a good way, you know?”

            “No, I don’t know. Care to explain?”

            “Well-”

            “I’m _kidding._ Please don’t explain. If you’re going to _explain_ something, tell me why you’re here in this old bakery all alone.”

            “Huh? Oh,” Eren waves him off passively, “My sister, Mikasa, went out with my mom to buy decorations.”

            “Decorations?”

            “Yeah. Since it’s almost Valentine’s Day, they want to, uh, _spiffy up_ the bakery.”

            And it’s true - early this morning, Eren had trudged out of his bedroom upstairs to find that Mikasa and his mother were all dressed up, ready to head out. He’d questioned them, but they didn’t stick around long enough for Eren to get any specific details out of them. They’ve been gone all day thus far, though Eren doesn’t truly mind - he _likes_ running their family bakery all by himself, especially considering that most of their customers are friends and neighbors of his. When Mikasa’s around, she doesn’t appreciate it when Eren holds up the line by chatting with his buddies about this or that. So it’s a breath of fresh air, to be allowed to sit and talk for hours on end with people like Levi.

            Levi, himself, is Eren’s neighbor - his house is about three doors down from the bakery, and Eren’s passed by it on plenty of occasions. Levi’s usually sitting out on his front steps, or he’s just heading out of his house when they wave and say hello to each other. Eren, of course, is usually a lot more cheerful with his greetings, but that could just be because Eren never really hangs around in Levi’s front lawn long enough to spark a debate with him.

            Levi, for whatever reason, has recently taken a liking to coming by Eren’s bakery every day. He usually walks in, one hand behind his back, and he comes straight up to Eren, delivering a little gift to him. They’re small gifts, but Eren loves them - flowers, candies, necklaces, bracelets. One time, Levi even bought him a little teddy bear. Needless to say, Eren likes to keep said teddy bear on his bedside table upstairs, right next to his alarm clock.

            Eren straightens himself out once more, and he moves out from behind the display case to set himself right in front of Levi. It’d be impossible to miss the way that Levi’s eyes shoot up and down his body, examining his appearance - but Eren’s grown used to it. Not because Levi always does this, but because _everyone_ always does this. Eren doesn’t exactly dress conventionally.

            As of right now, he’s wearing a light denim shirt, reminiscent of a crop top. It has two straps that hang on the shoulders to keep the shirt up, and it’s buttoned down the middle. It’s a little tight, but Eren likes it because, not only is it cute, but it also helps to accentuate the curves of his upper body - if he’s allowed to flatter himself like so, of course.

            Beneath his crop top sits a bright, pastel pink skirt that just barely reaches mid-thigh, pattern on it like sheep wool. On his neck sits the key, hanging off of a makeshift string, and on his feet are matching heels - they don’t add too much height to him, but they’re enough so that he has to be careful while walking or he’ll fall over and probably die.

            “Isn’t it a little cold outside to be wearing something like that?” Levi asks, meeting Eren’s eyes. He looks genuinely concerned, his eyebrows knit together and worry tainting his gray pupils.

            “Isn’t it a little cold to be wearing _that?_ ” Eren points to Levi’s bare arms.

            “At least _I’m_ wearing pants.”

            “Well, I’m not going outside,” Eren sighs, placing a hand on the display case to his side and leaning on it. He’s not supposed to do such, but it hasn’t broken yet, which is likely a good sign.

            “Maybe not. Just don’t want you catching a cold, you know?”

            “I’ll be fine. Haven’t gotten sick since I was twelve.”

            “Really?”

            “Yeah! My mom’s an _expert_ at all that _medical stuff._ ”

            “Medical stuff, huh?” Levi smirks, “Very articulate, aren’t you?”

            “You can’t scare me with those big words of yours.”

            Levi mimics Eren, leaning over onto the display case and stepping forward, closing much of the distance that separates him and the severely underdressed boy. “And _you_ can’t scare _me_ with that hefty immune system you’ve got.”

            “Ha, ha. You’re _so_ funny.” Eren rolls his eyes.

            “Is that any way to treat someone who just brought you three roses? In one day?”

            “But I’ve already paid you back for all of those. Remember? Free bread?” Eren nudges the bag in Levi’s hand.

            “I guess you’re right. Speaking of which, I’ve gotta go now.”

            “Huh? Levi, where are you going?”

            “Home. Gotta drop off this bread before it gets too cold.”

            Levi starts heading towards the door, though he keeps himself facing Eren as he walks away. He watches Eren, waiting for him to speak again, his steps slow and fingers lightly clutching the bag of bread that he holds.

            “Are you coming back tomorrow?” Eren asks, removing himself from the display case. He reaches down and tugs on his skirt - it’s pretty and all, but it’s a little uncomfortable how _short_ it is. It’s either so high up his waist that merely sitting down entails flashing his ass to everyone within thirty miles, or it’s so low on his hips that a little too much of his abdomen is exposed. He doesn’t necessarily mind wearing so little clothing, but _Mikasa_ does, as she’s always telling him to _pull up his shirt_ and to _close his legs, she can see up his dress._

“‘Course,” Levi says, “And I’ll bring you a jacket. I don’t give a shit how long it’s been since your last cold, no princess of mine is going to fall ill. You’re too pretty for sickness.”

            Eren can feel himself blushing, and he stutters as he says, “I- Ah, wait, who said that I was _your_ princess?”

            “Why? You already got a boyfriend?”

            “Uh, no, but-”

            “So for now, you’re my princess. And I’m bringing you a jacket tomorrow. I’ll be over around noon, so be ready,” Levi waves off with a salute, finally exiting through the glass doors of the bakery and out into the lawn. A cold breeze brushes past Eren, and he has to admit, he’d _freeze_ if he dared to leave the warm clutches of the bakery in _this_ outfit. It might be cute, but it’s definitely not winter material.

            Eren watches through the glass windows as Levi does, in fact, go in the direction of his house. It isn’t until Levi’s finally out of sight does Eren work up the strength to turn around and eye his gifts once more - the flowers, they might not be perfect, but they _feel_ perfect.

            Eren holds a hand out, picking up the lavender rose. It’s starting to grow old, it’s petals soft and falling off - as he picked it up, two of them had fallen to the floor. One petal had brushed over his ankle before hitting the tile, the trail of its touch sending shivers throughout Eren’s body.

            Eren can’t help but wonder if there’s a _meaning_ behind these flowers, and that Levi didn’t just happen to know that, given enough flowers, he’d be able to take a product from the bakery for free.

            But, then again, Levi _has_ given Eren so many _other_ gifts as well. Maybe the flowers are just that, just little additions to Eren’s ever increasing pile of presents received from Levi.

            Eren, though, feels a little hopeful - he hadn’t thought too much, of the bear, of the chocolates, even of the jewelry that Levi’s bought for him. But these, these _flowers,_ Eren can dig a little deeper into that.

            It’s that which drives Eren into rushing over to stand behind the front counter display case once more, finding his phone on a table pushed against the wall. He picks it up, and in several small movements does he find himself searching for the meaning of pink, white, and purple roses.

            _Pink carries with it the connotation of grace and elegance, as well as sweetness and poetic romance. Dark pink roses are symbolic of gratitude and appreciation, and are a traditional way to say thanks. Light pink roses are associated with gentleness and admiration, and can also be used as an expression of sympathy._

Eren glances back at the pink rose, still on the display case. It’s a soft color, pleasing to the eyes. But _gentleness and admiration?_

_White roses are a sign of purity, innocence, sympathy, and spirituality. Early tradition used white roses as a symbol for true love, an association which would later become the hallmark of the red rose. Also known as the bridal rose, the white rose is a traditional wedding flower._

Purity? True love? _Wedding flower?_

_The lavender rose is often a sign of enchantment and love at first sight. Those who have been enraptured by feelings of love and adoration have used lavender roses to express their romantic feelings and intentions. The color purple also has a traditional association with royalty._

            Eren looks down at the rose in his fingers, his breath hitching as the words settle in.

            This _has_ to be a coincidence. Why would Levi be in _love_ with him?

            But, Eren hasn’t seen Levi give presents to anyone _else._ Mikasa doesn’t get gifts from Levi. His mother doesn’t receive little roses from him. And Levi calls Eren his _princess._

            Eren’s overthinking this. Levi probably just saw the flowers and plucked them from the ground, little regard to whether or not there’s a deeper meaning behind their hues.

            It’s the only thought that makes sense. Levi doesn’t seem like the type who would spend more than a second looking over the meanings of _flowers,_ and to go out of his way to _find_ the specific flower? For _Eren?_ Eren hasn't done more than give Levi free bread.

            Eren sighs, and he twists around to collect the little roses from the countertop. It’ll be pointless, trying to save the already wilting flowers, but he’ll give it a shot - he’ll head upstairs, he’ll find a thin cup and fill it with water, and he’ll try to salvage the roses.

            They might not have any _real_ meaning behind them, but Eren would like to think that _maybe_ someone likes him well enough to bring him the rose of _love at first sight._ It’s a soothing thought. It’d be the perfect thing to wake up to - usually, the first thing he sees in the morning is his alarm clock and, behind it, the bear that Levi had brought him. But to have flowers to wake up to, as well?

            It’s a _beautiful_ thought. Almost as beautiful as the clothing he has picked out for tomorrow.

            Eren likes to plan his outfits out in advance.

                                                                                                             ~|~

            “So, I came up with a plan-”

            “A _plan?_ ” Levi scoffs, “Hanji, we don’t _plan_ things. Things just happen.”

            “But it’s called ‘ _organized crime’_ for a reason, Levi.”

            Levi wipes off the slight smirk that was working itself onto his face. She _does_ have a point.

            Hanji, deciding that his frown is her cue to continue, does a quick jog so that she’s walking beside him rather than where she’d been a step behind. She immediately delves into a ramble about _new weapons_ and _better disguises_ and Levi swears he hears something about a tea party somewhere in there.

            Levi keeps his head low as he walks, his sights trained on the sidewalk before him. Hanji does quite the opposite - it's like she's talking to the clouds, with how high she holds _her_ head.

            “Hey, Hanji?” he interrupts, looking out at her from the corners of his eyes.

            “Yeah?”

            “Can I ask you something?”

            “You just did.”

            “Fair point. Do you think that Eren would like it if I-”

            “Who’s Eren?”

            “You know. Guy I was telling you about yesterday. Wears cute skirts.”

            “Huh- Oh. Oh! Okay, go on.”

            Levi grunts, clearing his throat. He looks ahead, because he _knows_ that Hanji’s probably going to burst into some sort of fit of laughter at his nervousness. “Do you think that Eren would like it if I bought him a pair of shoes?”

            “Shoes? Do you even know what size he wears?”

            “No, not really,” Levi sighs, genuinely disappointed over his lack of knowledge. “What about a choker?”

            “Those tight necklaces? I don’t know,” she says, “Has he ever worn one around you?”

            “Once, I think. It was black.”

            She laughs at that, but it doesn’t surprise Levi. “You _really_ like him, don’t you?”

            “He’s just cute, is all.”

            “ _Sure._ I’m sure that’s _all there is_ to this.”

            “What would you know?” Levi barks, knitting his eyebrows together and glaring at her. “All _you’ve_ ever been in love with is _bothering me._ ”

            “Not true. I also like interrogating people.”

            “That’s a lovely thought.”

            “Are you buying him a choker, then?”

            “Maybe,” Levi idly runs a hand through his hair, “For now, I’ll just give him another flower. Last one I gave him was shit.”

            “Do you think he knows?”

            “Knows what?”

            “That you like him so much.”

            “I don’t like him _‘so much.’_ I like him a _little._ ”

            “Liar.”

            “Fuck you.”

            “You know, it’d just be easier if you asked him out _now._ ”

            “And who said that I wanted to ask him out?”

            “You did. By giving him flowers.”

            Levi stops moving, and he shoves Hanji out of the way to get a good look at the selection before him - he’s stopped himself in front of a flower shop, the same place where he’d gotten the last few roses for Eren.

            “Hanji, give me some of the money from last night.”

            “How much?”

            “I don’t care. Twenty, maybe?”

            “ _How many flowers are you buying him?!_ ” she exclaims, but she looks in the pocket of her jacket, sorting through cards and small papers before finding enough money for Levi.

            “Only one,” he sighs, “But you know how it is. Shit’s expensive.”

            “Are they real flowers?”

            “Of course. Why would I buy _fake_ flowers?”

            “Other people do it all the time.”

            Hanji hands the money over to Levi, and he sorts through it, making sure that she’d given him the right amount. He nods to her, and he briefly tells her to wait outside for him - she groans about always having to wait for him, but he just brushes it off by replying with a promise of returning quickly.

            As soon as he’s inside the flower shop, he swipes his hand to the side and picks up the familiar pamphlet that hangs off the side of the wall on a shelf. He wastes no time, opening it up and looking through the list of flowers and their supposed purpose.

            Thus far, Levi’s already given Eren roses. One was purple, one was pink, and _what was the other one?_

            White. It was white.

            Levi stands off to the side, engrossed in the paper in his hands. He could so easily just buy Eren another rose, maybe a red one - except, no, because that would be too obvious. Everybody buys red roses for their lover. Levi doesn’t want to come off too strongly.

            Although, he crossed that line a _long_ time ago, when he’d bought Eren that stuffed bear. He didn’t actually _buy_ it, per se, but it sounds better than saying that he’d mugged it from some guy on the street. The guy was asking for it, though - he’d insulted Levi’s new haircut. But, then again, if the guy was carrying around a teddy bear, he couldn’t have been much of a threat.

            Needless to say, Levi made sure to scrub the bear clean of any sort of imperfection before daring to hand it over to Eren. Eren seemed ecstatic when he got it, but Levi couldn’t really focus too much on Eren’s facial expression at the time, because Eren was wearing the _cutest_ dress that Levi's ever seen. Levi remembers it clear as day - he _may_ have mentally declared it as one of his favorite things that he’s seen Eren wear.

            It was a short dress that reached just above Eren’s knees, _thank fucking god,_ with a layered skirt and _fucking hell, it had a see-through top._ The upper half of the dress was a muted sort of light blue color, whereas the lower half had a more pink hue to it, a fancy pattern embroidered into the fabric. The top and bottom half of the dress were separated by a band of flowers, fake flowers albeit fairly well-made flowers. It was a pretty enough dress on it’s own, but to be blessed enough to be worn by such an angel as Eren is? If it weren’t Eren in the dress, Levi wouldn’t dare to look twice at it.

            But it _was_ Eren in the dress, and Eren is quite honestly probably _most definitely_ the most beautiful thing that Levi’s ever laid his eyes on.

            Levi finds it hard, now, to concentrate on the shitty pamphlet in his hands - Hanji _is_ right. He should just tell him that he likes him, Eren’s a sweetheart. He wouldn’t turn him down. And if he did, well, fuck it. Levi will still bring him flowers and bears and anything that his cute little heart desires. Eren _did_ admit to not having a boyfriend, so Levi really doesn’t have anything to lose, does he? Levi's a man. He can take whatever Eren says in stride.

            A red rose. _A red rose._ A red rose is the ultimate symbol of love, isn’t it? The stupid pamphlet in Levi’s hands says that a bright red rose symbolizes love. And everybody, in one way or another, knows that red roses are the embodiment of _“I love you.”_

            Maybe Levi’s officially lost his mind, but he’ll do it. He’ll buy Eren the brightest rose that he can find. Hanji’s sure as hell going to laugh at him for it, but he can deal with it. She’s never malicious in her fits of giggles, more so she just likes to _tease him._

            Levi tosses the pamphlet of flowers and their meanings off to the side, and with the slightest of hops in his steps, he heads over towards the heart of the shop in search of the perfect rose.

            Eren would be _beautiful,_ holding a rose picked out by Levi. He’d be beautiful, even if he _didn’t_ have a rose, but the idea of having Eren hold something given to him from Levi and immediately understanding the premise behind it would easily send Levi’s heart into a faster rate than it usually is around Eren. Which is to say, though, just Eren’s mere presence is enough to make Levi melt.

            It’s a nice break in the monotony that is the rest of his life - sometimes, he gets _tired_ of fighting and threatening and having to maintain a stoic posture around everyone. He can be different around Eren, he can offer up little gifts and spout meaningless comments to him about how he’s not dressed appropriately for the weather outside.

            Levi _might be_ a little excited to see what Eren’s wearing today. Just a little.

                                                                                                             ~|~

            The door to the bakery opens, and Eren whips his head up so fast that his neck threatens to snap.

            He sits in his usual spot behind the display case at the back of the room, the staircase that leads upstairs to his right and to his left, the table that he’d had his phone set on the previous day. Today, his phone sits in the very same place, for no reason other than the fact that the outfits that he likes to wear either have no pockets, or the pockets aren’t ever big enough to hold more than a dime.

            His clothing might not be practical, but hell if they aren’t cute.

            He’d had difficulty choosing the outfit that he wears now - he'd picked out what he wanted to wear last night, but he'd started questioning himself all morning, his head filled with _Levi_ and doubts about his intentions versus hope that maybe Eren has somehow stolen the heart of his hard-to-read neighbor.

            “Hey, princess,” Levi greets, walking into the bakery with long strides. “All alone, again?”

            “Mom and Mikasa are out shopping again.”

            “You know,” Levi says, finally reaching Eren. He stands on the other side of the counter, leaning on it with his forearm to prop himself up. “It’s dangerous for someone like you to be here all alone.”

            “ _‘Someone like me?’_ ”

            “Yeah. Little dresses and nobody around to protect you.”

            “I can protect myself.”

            “Can you?”

            “Mhm. I’m wearing _heels,_ Levi.”

            “So?”

            “ _So?_ Imagine having one of them pounded into your eye.”

            “Ah.” Levi thinks for a moment before saying, “Alright, but what if I grabbed your leg?”

            “Then I’ll use the other one to hurt you.”

            “And let’s say that I just so happened to be able to grab _that_ leg, too. Now what?”

            “I have fists.”

            “But do you have strength?”

            “I lift boxes around here all the time, so, yeah.”

            “Boxes of _what?_ ” Levi sneers, “Bread?”

            Eren groans in frustration, throwing his head back briefly. He then glares at Levi, furrowing his eyebrows and putting on the best angry face that he can, despite the smile trying to fight its way onto his face.

            “Still not dressed for the weather, huh?” Levi tsks, shaking his head as he suddenly changes the subject.

            “It’s better than yesterday.”

            “Hardly.”

            Levi’s not wrong. Eren’s in one of his _favorite_ dresses today, though much like everything else he wears, it’s not _practical._ It’s an ocean blue color, no sleeves and a sheer collar. Across the fabric are little designs of what looks to be flowers, and the dress is completed only by the pink band that stretches across his waist. On his feet are the heels he’d just bragged to Levi about, a color to match his dress and tall enough to leave a mark if one were to get kicked by them.

            Eren can’t help but love the fact that Levi has never once _questioned_ Eren’s choice in attire. The first time Eren had met Levi had been a while ago, and the most that Levi had done was look him over and then turn around to go about his business once more. And ever since then, the most that he’s _ever_ said about his clothing has been about how Eren might catch a cold, wearing something so thin.

            “I _did_ tell you that I was going to give you my jacket, didn’t I?” Levi muses, backing away from the counter and standing up straight. He reaches for his waist, and it’s only then that Eren realizes the coat he’d had tied around himself - Levi undoes the knot, and he shakes the jacket out to rid it of any wrinkles. He holds it out for Eren to take, but changes his mind halfway, deciding to instead walk around to Eren’s side of the display case and drape the coat over Eren’s shoulders himself.

            The coat, much like everything else that Levi wears, is a dull black. It falls over Eren in a heavy heap, weighing down his bare shoulders - it’s soft, admittedly, a sort of silky material. It smells good, too, almost like Windex.

            “There,” Levi says, patting Eren’s back as he admires his work, “Now, you won’t catch a cold.”

            “I don’t think a _jacket_ is going to stop me from getting sick, Levi.”

            “Maybe not. But now you can’t say that I didn’t try to help you.”

            Levi lingers, and instead of doing what any _other_ normal being would do - which would be to walk back over to his proper spot on the other side of the front counter - he takes the chance to place his hands on Eren’s shoulders and rub over the fabric of his dress and the jacket, standing behind Eren and putting his head so close to him that they might as well be touching cheeks.

            “I brought you another flower,” Levi says after a minute of just feeling him. His hands never wander beyond the sheer collar of Eren’s dress, never quite touching skin but never quite touching the actual dress.

            “Really? Funny, because I made _you_ more bread.”

            “I was actually hoping for some cake today.”

            “I have that, too.”

            “Huh. Any chance you might have tea, as well?”

            “Why, are you staying a while?”

            “If you don’t mind. Can’t let my princess get hurt, right?”

            “But you left yesterday.”

            “I wasn’t thinking."

            Eren slides out of his seat with a laugh, turning around to face Levi. Levi peers up at him, putting his hands in his pockets - he, as per the usual, is dressed in all black, although Eren actually finds himself _liking_ it rather than just thinking about it being odd.

            “What kind of tea?” Eren asks, crossing his arms and standing back.

            “Any kind’s fine with me. I’m not picky.”

            “Not picky, huh? Is that why you always come _here?_ ”

            “What’s that supposed to mean?”

            “It’s probably not healthy to eat bread and cake every day.”

            “Maybe not,” Levi shrugs, and, using the seat that Eren had previously occupied, he lifts his leg and props it up. He leans it forward, and out of the back of his shoe, with the petals hanging out, he pulls up a bright red rose. He lowers his foot back to the floor, and he holds out the flower for Eren, using his other hand to straighten his shirt out in the process.

            “Huh?” Eren utters in reference to Levi’s offering.

            “The flower,” Levi clarifies, “I said I brought you another one today. So here it is.”

            Eren takes it gently, admiring it in his hands. It’s far more alive than the other flowers he’d received - this one has no signs of wilting yet, and it’s such a bright color that it contrasts even against Eren’s tanned skin.

            Eren looks back at Levi, only to find that he is, in fact, _smirking_ over Eren’s surprise. Eren hadn’t _intended_ to look like he couldn’t believe his eyes, but it just sort of _happened_ that his eyebrows became knit together and his jaw dropped open.

            Eren clears his face, and he steps past Levi, heading towards the staircase. Levi stops him, though, grabbing onto his wrist and whirling him around with his _own_ disbelief spreading across his face.

            “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

            “Huh?”

            “The flower,” Levi nods his head at the rose in Eren’s fingers, “Well?”

            “What?”

            “It’s- _nevermind._ ”

            “No, tell me.”

            “I said, nevermind.”

            “Tell me.”

            “No.”

            “Please?”

            “Nuh-uh.”

            “ _Levi._ ”

            “It’s just- You don’t get flowers every day, do you, Eren?”

            “No, why?”

            “Oh.”

            “ _Oh?_ ”

            “Fucking hell, Eren. I’m trying to tell you that _I like you._ ”

            “Hah? Oh, I like you, too, Levi, but you didn’t have to get me flowers.”

            “I didn’t?”

            “No. If I didn’t like you, I wouldn’t let you buy any brea-”

            “Damn it, Eren, I meant that I _really_ like you. Not as friends.”

            “Not as- _Oh._ ”

            Eren’s silent for a minute, not because he doesn’t appreciate Levi’s confession - quite the opposite, in fact. Eren’s silent because it’s hard to speak through the blush that forces its way onto his face, heating himself up into a toasty temperature despite how little clothing he’s in. Levi still has a hold on Eren’s wrist, and all it does is add a burning to Eren’s already hot skin.

            Eren _did_ have a feeling that this was coming, but to hear that he was right this whole time? That he was right, in starting to suspect that the little gifts are _more_ than just little gifts, in thinking that his new nickname of _princess_ has a deeper meaning behind it than just something that Levi calls everyone. Eren might not know who else Levi hangs out with, but he _highly_ doubts that he’s the kind of guy who just walks around calling _everyone_ a cute nickname.

            Eren, growing weary under Levi’s expectant face, tightens his hold around the rose in his hand and flashes Levi his brightest smile, saying, “I _really_ like you, too, Levi.”

            “Really?”

            “Mhm.”

            Levi looks relieved at that, and he immediately goes in for a hug - he wraps his arms around Eren’s waist, one hand going dangerously close to Eren’s ass while the other clutches the back of his dress tightly. Levi buries his face in Eren’s collar, taking deep breaths and leaving Eren stunned.

            He hadn’t expected this - to be hugged by the one guy who walks in every day looking like he’s one snide remark away from committing murder? To be given flowers by the very same guy, and to be told that said guy _likes_ him?

            In all honesty, Levi seems to be a giant teddy bear under his cold exterior. Eren’s not going to say that out loud, though - Eren might lift boxes, and he might have killer heels on, but he’d rather not have to start a fight in his _family bakery_. Things are fragile around here.

            “Hey, Eren?”

            “Yeah?”

            “What time do you close shop?”

            “Usually around five, why?”

            Levi buries his nose further into Eren’s collarbones as he says, “I’d like to take you out tonight, if you don’t mind.”

“Where?”

            “My house.”

            “Your- Oh, I get it.”

            “Hm?”

            Eren backs away from Levi just enough so that he can meet eyes with the man. “You just want to play with me, and then you’re going to leave me.”

            “Ah, yes, you’ve caught onto me. Because, you know,” Levi says with a little attitude, “I always bring all of my one night stands _gifts_ every day for _months_ only to give them up after a few hours.”

            “Shit.”

            “Why, were you _hoping_ that I wouldn’t want to stick around?” Levi raises his eyebrows, “You don’t have to date me if you don’t want to, Eren.”

            “No, I do, it’s just. Why are you taking me to your house, of all places?”

            Levi gives a little shrug. “First place that came to mind. I’m thinking on the spot here, Eren.”

            “Do you do that a lot?” Eren laughs.

            “Maybe. Sometimes. Aren’t you supposed to be making me some coffee?”

            Eren smiles, and Levi drops his arms from around Eren. His hands find his pockets, and he leans back on his heels momentarily as Eren takes the few steps over to the staircase. He stops at the bottom, though, and turns around to say, “I can still kick your ass, you know.”

            “Yeah,” Levi admits, “But why would you?”

            “Just because I wear dresses doesn’t mean that I have to make your meals for you.”

            “No, I don’t guess so. But you _work_ here.”

            “That’s true.”

            “Well?” Levi leans back against the edge of the front counter, “Coffee?”

            Eren gives him a look, shooting him the middle finger. Levi throws his head back and gives off a little chortle. It’s a sound that makes Eren flush, and his fingers start shaking around the flower in his hands.

            Eren has a _boyfriend_ now. A boyfriend who brings him flowers and wears black clothing. A boyfriend who likes Eren’s dresses and offers him his jacket. A boyfriend who appreciates bread and cakes and teases Eren in the _right_ way.

            “Actually, Levi,” Eren calls, starting on his way upstairs, “You asked for _tea,_ not _coffee._ ”

            “ _Oh._ ”

                                                                                                             ~|~

            “Are you ready yet, Eren?”

            “Yeah,” Levi hears him call, “Just give me, like, thirty more seconds.”

            Levi waits, his arms crossed as he idly taps his fingers against his abdomen. He looks upstairs to try and catch sight of Eren, but Eren’s still off doing whatever the hell it is he went up to his bedroom for.

            Levi _might_ have spent the entire day thus far hanging out with Eren, refusing to leave for so much as a bathroom break ever since Eren had come down with his tea so many hours ago.

            Eren had pulled out a chair, and the two of them sat, mindlessly chitchatting, as the day wore on. Very few people had come into the bakery, and the few that _did_ were probably scared off by Levi’s glare. He doesn’t have a particularly _friendly_ neutral face, and it wasn’t until a little kid started nudging his mother and chose to point at Levi did Levi realize that he, in fact, was the reason nobody stuck around to have a conversation with Eren and him.

            Eren didn’t seem to care, though. Every single time they were interrupted, he stood up with a smile and sat right back down with an even _cuter_ grin as soon as the customer had gone. Levi, without a doubt, _did_ find some sort of joy in having his and Eren’s time together occasionally interrupted - his smile is beautiful, of course, and every time that Eren’s moved to sit back down, he’d run his hands over the back of his dress to make sure that he was about to be seated on it properly.

            Levi’s not entirely sure why he likes that so much. Maybe it’s because Eren looks _so fucking attractive_ while doing it, or maybe it’s because Levi gets a little glimpse at the contours of Eren’s ass when he flattens the fabric to the shape of himself, but either way, Levi _loves_ it.

            “ _Any minute now,_ ” Levi shouts, earning a frustrated groan from Eren. Even his _groans_ make Levi shudder with a sort of lust and anticipation.

            Levi, still peering up the stairs, watches as Eren finally makes his appearance again, holding something tightly in one hand and gripping the railing on the wall with the other. He rushes down the stairs, his pretty little dress fluttering with each movement of his long, tanned legs. He hurries down the stairs rather impressively, for some who’s wearing heels that could easily smash someone like Levi to bits with their size and stature.

            “Sorry,” Eren breathes as he reaches the bottom of the staircase, “Your jacket kept falling off my back, so I decided to, uh, _actually put it on._ ”

            It’s true - Eren’s once-bare arms are now covered in a pitch black fabric. The coat, as it turns out, is a little too large for Eren, bunching up at his wrists and falling just past his hips. Levi hadn’t thought that he’d be so much bigger than Eren, but that’s not to say that Levi minds. No, he _loves_ it - he’d love to see Eren in some of his other clothing, too, and hell, he’d strip right now if it meant that Eren would be willing to try on his shirt and pants for him.

            “You look nice,” Levi nods with a quick glance over Eren’s dress.

            “Thank you. That’s, um, that’s actually why I brought _these_ out.”

            Eren holds out his hand, and in it are all of the roses that Levi had given him - the wilting pink one, the small purple one, the bright red one, and the large white one.

            “Hah?”

            “Well,” Eren explains, “Your clothing is kind of dark, isn’t it? So I thought, maybe I could help you stand out a little more.”

            “I’m sorry?”

            Eren moves over and pulls a chair close to Levi. “Put your leg up here.”

            Levi gives Eren a questioning look, but he lifts his foot and places it on the seat of the chair. Eren sets down the flowers beside him, and he picks up the pink rose first. He unties Levi’s laces, and he positions the stem at the very top of his shoe before sliding it down between the laces and setting to work weaving the stem and the laces together.

            “Are you tying the flowers into my shoes?”

            “I am,” Eren says, picking up the white one next and doing the same as he’d done with the pink. “Like I said. You need a little color in your outfit.”

            “I think it looks just fine.”

            “You don’t want the flowers?”

            “I- But these are supposed to be _your_ flowers, Eren.”

            “If they’re mine, then I get to do what I want with them. And I want to put them in your shoes. Let me see the other one, now.”

            Levi backs off of the seat, and he sets his other foot up, watching as Eren laces together the purple and red roses into his dark boots. Levi’s eyes glue onto Eren and his hands as he works, his fingers working nimbly to slide the stems through Levi’s ankle boots.

            Levi finds himself loving how quickly Eren moves, how determined he looks with his eyebrows set and his tongue poking out between his teeth. His hair and skin look so soft, they practically _beckon_ for Levi to run his fingers through and over, and maybe kiss and scratch and _holy fuck, the things he could do to Eren’s pretty little body._

            Eren stands up straight again, looking down at Levi’s shoes with pride. Levi removes himself once more from the chair, and like Eren, he looks down at what’s been done to his clothing - on one shoe, the pink and white roses have been banded together with Levi’s laces, and on the other, the red and purple sit closely knitted.

            Levi has a strong urge to push Eren down against the display case behind him and fuck the living daylights out of him. That, or hug him until he can’t breathe, and obviously one option is more likely to happen than the other.

            "You're too cute, Eren."

            "So are your shoes, now."

            Levi settles on a half-hug, going over to Eren and resting his arm low on his waist. He pulls Eren close to himself, allowing himself the pleasure of feeling Eren’s abdomen press to his and, every now and then, the brush of their legs together as Levi pulls Eren along until they’re outside.

            Eren’s sister and mother haven’t returned yet - Eren had mentioned that they might not come back until late, though, due to their desperation to find the _perfect_ Valentine’s decorations. Levi’s silently glad for this, too - he likes his alone time with Eren. And he’s certain that if any of Eren’s relatives caught him eyeing his ass as he so often subconsciously does, Levi would get decapitated before he could dare to try to defend himself.

            For it only being a little past five in the evening, it’s pretty fucking dark outside. Levi wraps his arm further around Eren, because he’d rather have hell freeze over three times before he’d even _consider_ letting Eren get hurt tonight. Levi might only be taking Eren home, but knowing who he is and what he does, there’s a good possibility that a mere walk from Eren’s bakery to Levi’s home could be life threatening.

            Levi feels conflicted, rushing Eren along at such a speed that Eren actually almost trips over his own feet. Levi tries to keep himself watching their surroundings for any signs of trouble, but he also can’t keep his eyes off of _Eren_ and _his perfect brown hair, his golden skin, his even shoulders, and holy fucking freshly bought Windex bottles, are those little_ freckles _just below Eren’s neck? Fucking mother of all things fucked, Levi needs to find out if he’s right, and if he_ is _right, he needs Eren in his bed as soon as is humanly possible._

            Much to Levi’s delight, he and Eren make it up Levi’s front steps without any issue. Levi pulls out a key from his back pocket, and he unlocks the door, allowing Eren to enter ahead of him. For no real reason other than to catch sight of _those legs, Levi can’t get enough of those long legs._

            Levi closes the door behind himself, and he takes Eren’s wrist to lead him down the hall and into the living room. Eren makes no comments about his house, but Levi doesn’t care. All he really wants right now is to touch Eren in some sort of way, whether it be as simple as petting his hair or as complex as getting those golden godsends for legs wrapped around his neck.

            How is Eren not freezing? It’s not only cold _outside,_ but Levi keeps his house fairly chilled on the _inside_ too. Maybe Eren really _is_ a lot stronger than Levi gave him credit for.

            “Why don’t you turn on the lights?” Eren asks, squinting his eyes. Levi finds the sight to be cute _as well as_ funny, and he guides Eren through the familiar surroundings until the two of them are sitting on a couch together in Levi's living room.

            “I like to keep my house as dark as my clothing.”

            “So are you saying that _I’m_ the one who has to turn on the lights?”

            “Huh?”

            “I had to put the flowers in your shoes. So, if your house is like your shoes, I’d be the one who has to turn on the lights, right?”

            Levi cocks an eyebrow, though he’s not sure if Eren can see it. Levi’s used to the lack of lighting, having always arrived home and never bothered to put the fancy light bulbs in his house to good use, but Eren, on the other hand, likely _isn’t_ used to having to see in the dark.

            “You’re cute, Eren.”

            “I’d say that you’re cute, as well, but I can’t see you.”

            Levi mutters, teasingly, about Eren being _a little shit_ , and he tackles Eren down, a yelp sounding from Eren as he gets pushed into the cushions of the couch. Levi’s arms go around his body, one around his upper back while the other roams just a little lower. Eren puts his _own_ hands on Levi, and Levi almost wants to throw up in his excitement.

            Eren laughs underneath him as Levi squeezes the air out of him, humming as he shoves his nose against Eren’s neck. He really _should_ turn on the lights, if for no reason other than to see Eren’s figure in better view and find out if he _does_ have those freckles that send Levi’s heart into overdrive.

            Levi wastes no time, unwrapping his arms from around Eren’s body and clutching the jacket on Eren’s body. He shoves the core of it down, exposing Eren’s shoulders and much of his biceps, his collarbones showing through as rough edges on his otherwise smooth skin. Levi attacks him with kisses, his lips leaving trails over Eren’s body at a quick pace, his tongue occasionally making an appearance, as well as his teeth when he reaches the area just below Eren’s ear.

            Levi keeps his hands on Eren’s waist, finding it hard to move them to the places that he’d _like_ to touch. It feels like his fingers have been frozen, out of his nerves and out of his absolute passion - he’s going to treat Eren _right._ He won’t touch him until Eren says that he _wants_ to be touched.

            Eren, though, doesn’t seem to have _any_ issue with touching _Levi._ His hands dance over Levi’s upper back, his nails digging into skin as well as the dark cloth of Levi’s shirt, Eren’s legs rubbing against Levi’s body. Levi can’t get enough of it, too, he wants _more,_ he wants all of Eren that he possibly can get. He almost feels like he _needs_ more, like he’d die on the spot if he lost the feeling of Eren’s warm skin against his so suddenly.

            Levi couldn’t be luckier, to have Eren say yes to his offering of love. Eren happily accepted all of his gifts without so much as an odd look, how could Levi have _ever_ doubted whether Eren would go out with him? He’s wasted his precious hours away, pining over someone so beautiful, when all he had to do was bring him a rose and ask for his hand.

            But _now,_ Levi can make all of those hours spent admiring worth it. Here and now and a million times over, with each kiss he lays on Eren’s silky skin, with each little gasp he earns from Eren’s lips.

            Levi moves his arms so that they’re holding onto Eren’s hips, and he lifts him up just enough to connect their abdomens - it makes Levi’s throat dry under the bliss of touching so much of _Eren,_ but he refuses to end his tirade of smooches against Eren’s body. Eren’s eliciting little moans as Levi touches him, and his indulgent eyes are half-lidded, his body smelling like cinnamon.

            Eren tries to kiss Levi back, going so far as to grip Levi’s cheeks and _force_ him to be still long enough for Eren to peck his jaw. Levi, as much as he _loves_ Eren’s kisses and as much as he practically _melts_ under the feeling of Eren’s soft mouth, can’t seem to stop peppering Eren’s skin long enough for a _real_ kiss, lips to lips, like what it feels like Eren’s going for. Levi would probably die if Eren gave him a mouth-to-mouth kiss. In a good way, of course.

            There’s _so much_ that Levi has to do with Eren, how is he ever going to have enough time for it? Even something as simple as kissing, Levi could spend _forever_ like this, Eren’s back arching up and his fingers touching Levi’s shoulders. But Levi doesn’t _have_ forever, and the thought that his time with Eren is limited is actually _frightening._

            “Uhn, _Levi?_ ”

            “Mm?” Levi sounds from where he’d been attaching his lips to a spot just above one of Eren’s collarbones.

            “I-”

            Eren jumps a little underneath him, and Levi feels the urgent need to punch someone in the face. Someone other than Eren, of course.

            There’s a knocking at his door, a _loud_ knocking that can only belong to Hanji - nobody else would be so impatient and noisy, especially at _this_ hour. Levi’s heard her knock at least a million times before, and never does it cease to _annoy_ the ever-living fuck out of him.

            Levi slowly removes himself from above Eren, muttering an apology and placing one last kiss to his chin. It hurts to leave Eren like that, his arms feel so utterly _empty_ without him as he jogs back down the hallway and further away from his new lover.

            “The hell do you want?” Levi grunts, swinging the door open to, in fact, reveal Hanji. “I’m _busy._ ”

            “You- _Busy?_ You’re _busy?_ What’re you doing?” she asks, taking up the entire doorway as she leans against the frame with her elbow.

            “It’s none of your business.”

            “Oh, _don’t tell me,_ ” she teases, waving a finger around, “You’re hiding a certain someone, a certain _Eren_ somewhere in here, aren’t you, Levi? It's about time."

            “Don’t be so loud.”

            “So I’m right.”

            “Doesn’t give you permission to let the entire neighborhood hear.”

            “But I’m right?”

            “Why did you even come here, Hanji?”

            “I- Oh, right,” she says with a small sigh, “I was trying to make a deal with some guys from an opposing mafia, right? They had these _really_ advanced weapons, and you know I can’t say no to an offer like that, so I brought them some money. A _lot_ of money. They, uh, they took the money and left, and I tried to get them but they run faster than me.”

            “Did they shoot?”

            “No.”

            “Are you hurt?”

            “Not really.”

            “Not even a little?”

            “Nope.”

            “Alrighty,” Levi breathes, “Do you know where they went?”

            “Yeah. After they ran away, I lingered around for a while, because they’d taken a lot of money, right?” Hanji explains, “And I walked around for about an hour. I eventually saw one of the guys standing outside a building not too far away from here, so I’m betting that’s where they are.”

            “Huh.”

            “So?”

            “Give me two minutes and we’ll go,” Levi decides, leaving the door open for Hanji as he treks back into the living room. Eren’s waiting for him, lying on the couch with his arm to prop himself up.

            Levi hurries over to him, and he crouches down by the couch, running his fingers through Eren’s hair and pulling it back. Eren smiles at that, and Levi feels extremely guilty for having to leave him like this so suddenly.

            “Eren?”

            “Mhm?”

            “I have to go,” Levi murmurs, “I’ll be ba-”

            “Where are you going?”

            Levi blinks, and he then shakes his head. “It’s not important.”

            “Can I come with you then?”

            “Hell no.”

            “Why not?”

            “It’s dangerous.”

            “So?”

            “ _So?_ ” Levi mocks, “I’ll be damned if my princess gets even a _cut_ on his finger.”

            “I _told_ you, Levi. I can protect myself.”

            Levi considers this for a moment, his eyes wandering down to Eren’s heels. He shouldn’t be thinking about it, he shouldn’t even let the thought cross his mind to bring Eren with him, but Eren could be useful. The more people, the better, right?

            “Eren?”

            “Yeah?”

            “If you come, you have to _promise_ me that you won’t do anything stupid. And you have to listen to everything that I tell you.”

            “I promise.”

            Levi holds out his pinky for him, and Eren stares at it for a moment before laughing and realizing what Levi wants. He holds his hand up, then, and interlocks his _own_ pinky with his.

            “Pinky promise?” Eren says with the slightest of eyebrow raises.

            “Pinky promise.”

                                                                                                             ~|~

            Eren feels like an idiot.

            How could he have missed this? The dark clothing, the rough exterior - it _screams_ danger.

            Eren struggles to keep pace with Levi, having to walk quickly behind him as they charge through the streets. Eren’s zipped up the jacket around him, not only for his own health benefit - as well as Levi’s, because Levi practically begged that he keep himself warm - but also so that he’s harder to spot. It wouldn’t exactly be hard to see a tanned boy out in the middle of the dark wearing a bright blue dress. It’s no wonder that Levi and his friend, Hanji, are wearing all black. It makes them nearly invisible, out here like this.

            Eren hadn’t had much time to be introduced to Hanji. Levi briefly gave him the rundown of who she is and his relationship to her, but Levi insisted that they save the talking for later and head out _now._

            Hanji leads the way, while Levi and Eren trail not too far behind her. Levi had given Eren a basics of the issue at hand, telling him little more than the fact that the three of them are off to go get some money back from a couple of bastards. Eren doesn’t try to get more information out of him, though - he can tell that Levi’s nervous, and even though Eren clutches onto his shoulder tightly to reassure him that he’s still there, Levi still sends glances back at Eren every few seconds.

            Levi’s a part of a _mafia._

            Eren almost feels ignorant, for not realizing this sooner. But then again, how could he have? All he does all day is sit around and give out bread to people. Not exactly a very adventurous job.

            Eren’s head buzzes with questions, from _how long has Levi been a part of this,_ to _why? Why is he doing this? Is it fun? Maybe this is all a joke. The sweet, caring Levi who’d kissed him up and down, a part of a mafia? There’s just no way._

            But as more time passes, reality becomes clearer and clearer. Eren _is_ in danger, by coming with Levi. He’s likely an even bigger target than either Levi or Hanji, due to being less experienced at this as well as the poofy little dress he has on.

            Eren’s ready, though. If Levi’s been doing this for as long as Eren suspects he has, then Eren can _at least_ last one night. What are the chances of getting shot, anyways? Levi had muttered something to him about thinking that the enemy has just been fucking with them, and that their weapons aren’t even highly advanced at all and that they’re too gutless to try to do anything to them.

            Eren just hopes that Levi’s right. Eren’s trying hard to look tough right now, but if he’s being honest, his chest aches with worry and anxiety. He _could_ die tonight, and then what? He didn’t even get to say goodbye to his _mother,_ of all people.

            “We’re here,” Hanji stops them.

            Eren peers over Levi’s shoulder. They’re in a dark alleyway type of area, the only illumination coming from a lamp perched on the outer wall of the brick building in front of them. There isn’t anybody outside the door, and the only sign that anybody _had_ been around is an empty soda can that lies near the steps.

            Hanji takes the initiative, bouncing up to the porch. She places her head by the door - it must be a back door, by the looks of things - listening in for any sounds.

            Eren gives Levi’s shoulder a loving squeeze. Levi places his fingers over Eren’s, tying their hands together for a brief moment. It helps to calm Eren, a light blush spreading over his cheeks as Levi confirms that he _is_ thinking of Eren, that he's taking his feelings into consideration and he cares about the way that Eren feels. All proven, in the simple squeeze of their hands together.

            “Fuck it, Hanji,” Levi says under his breath after watching her listen in on the building for a solid five minutes. He pushes his way past her and swings the door open, revealing a dimly lit room and the sudden quiet as several voices hush themselves.

            Hanji walks in first, followed by Levi - who drags Eren inside - and it’s hard for Eren to process exactly what’s going on. In the room, there are only two guys, one with short blond hair and one with slightly longer brown hair. They sit on the floor, counting _money_ \- if Eren’s right in his assumption, it must be the money that they’d stolen from Hanji.

            “Hey,” Levi calls, as if this were just a casual greeting between buddies.

            “Hey?” says the blond with an eyebrow raise. Him and his partner both watch Levi with suspicious glares on their faces.

            “Ah, _Hanji,_ ” Levi sighs rather loudly, “ _These_ are the guys you let steal money from you? They look about as tough as my grandmother.”

            Blondie stands up, sudden rage seething through his eyes. He drops the dollars he’d been holding, and he holds his fists up, as if it were meant to deter Levi, Hanji, and Eren. “I don’t know who the hell _you_ are, but you’d better get the fuck outta here.”

            “Maybe if you give us our money back,” Levi says, looking utterly _bored._

            “Or,” says the brunet, standing up beside his blond partner, “You could just leave so that we won’t have to hurt you.”

            “Do it.”

            Neither the blond or brunet respond.

            “ _Do it,_ ” Levi repeats. “Hurt me. Or are you _afraid?_ Or, _even worse,_ are all of those supposed weapons that you own _fake?_ Where are they? I don’t see them around here.”

            “That’s none of your fucking business,” barks blondie, “Why are you here? You’re not getting your money back.”

            “Mm, and _that’s_ where you’re wrong.” Levi takes a step towards the pair, his face lacking emotion.

            The brunet’s eyes wander down to Levi’s shoes, and he bursts into laughter suddenly, ruining the tense atmosphere and sending Eren’s heart into top speed at the noise.

            “What’s this?” he laughs, “Why the hell are there _flowers_ in your shoes? Aw, don’t tell me. Your little bitch put them in there, didn’t they? Tell me, which one is it? Is it the one with glasses over there, or is it the one with the dress on?”

            Levi doesn’t answer him. Eren, being the idiot that he is, bears his teeth and steps up beside Levi. Hanji hesitantly follows up last.

            “It’s the dolled up one, isn’t it?” the brunet laughs again, still facing Levi, “Fucking pussy, aren’t ‘cha? I could show your bitch what it’s like to be with a _real_ ma-”

            Eren slams his foot into the man’s stomach, digging his heel into his skin as roughly as he can. The man falls to the floor, and Eren wastes no time in moving to stand over him and pound his flesh into the floor with his shoe.

            Hanji, using the moment of shock, grabs the blondie and rams his head into the nearest wall. He falls to the floor, too, almost taking Hanji down with him if it weren’t for Levi slamming _his_ foot into the guy’s face, sending his head into the wall.

            As soon as blondie’s knocked out, Levi comes over and helps Eren from where the brunet was slowing gaining the strength to grab Eren. Levi, just like he’d done with the blond, mashes his heel into the guy’s face, making him go unconscious.

            There’s a moment of silence as Eren backs away from the limp body on the floor, his heart racing and his mind blank. He looks up at Levi, who gives him a reassuring nod after making sure that the men aren't stirring.

            “Did good, princess,” Levi says. “That was too easy, though. Hanji, get the money and let’s get the hell out of here. Look through their pockets, too, take anything they’re got.”

            “What about the weapons?”

            “If you find them, take them. If not, break their fingers.”

            Hanji lets out a cheerful yelp at that, and she rushes over to the part of the room where the money lies. Levi steps over the limp brunet, over to Eren, looking down at his shoes in the process - Eren can’t see them too well, but they’re scuffed around the bottoms and the flowers hang loose on top of the tongue.

            “Tch,” Levi mutters, “Fucker got blood all over me. _Filthy._ ”

            “Are you okay?”

            “I’m fine. More importantly, are _you?_ ”

            “Yeah,” Eren says, flashing Levi a smile, “Actually, that was kind of fun.”

            “ _Fun?_ ”

            “Yeah! Like, it was scary, but it felt so _good_ to hurt someone like that.”

            “You’re a little frightening, aren’t you, princess?” Levi says with a chuckle, wrapping his hand around Eren’s wrist and pulling him outside, “You did good, though. Felt really nice to _see_ you hit that guy like you did, too. You _are_ a lot stronger than I’d thought you were.”

            “He made me mad,” Eren shrugs, rubbing his fingers over his clothed arms as the two of them walk outside. Hanji’s still running around the room _inside,_ giving off victory shouts at everything she finds.

            “Yeah, I guessed so. It's good, though, because I forgot to bring any weapons with me. I'm shit at planning these things out. But that reminds me, Eren?”

            “Mhm?”

            “Do you like choker necklaces?”

            “Yeah, why?”

            “Thought about buying you one.”

            “ _Levi,_ " Eren gasps, "I’d _love_ it. But you don’t have to buy me so many gifts if you don’t want to.”

            “I want to,” Levi reassures him, “It’s cute seeing your face every time I give you something. You always look like you’ve never seen anything better in your entire life.”

            “Shut up.”

            “I’m _complimenting_ you, Eren.”

            “ _Shut up._ You’re such a loser.”

            “I’m a loser?”

            “Yeah.”

            “That’s nice.”

            Eren laughs, releasing all of his nerves into the words that he speaks. It’s almost funny, to have seen such a different side of Levi - if that’s how Levi talks to everyone else, showing very little emotion and being utterly inexpressive, Eren feels a little special. Levi shows emotion around _him._ Levi acts like a _giant loser teddy bear_ around Eren.

            Levi might have at least two sides to him, but Eren _loves_ it.

            “Hey, Levi?”

            “Huh?”

            “Maybe now isn’t the best time, but, ah, can you kiss me?”

            Levi stares at him for a moment, his face completely blank. His hair moves gently over his face as the wind hits him, and he blinks several times before pursing his lips and raising his eyebrows.

            “Do you _really_ have to ask? The princess _always_ gets a kiss, don’t they?”

            Levi removes his arm from around Eren’s wrist, and he moves his hand up to Eren’s face, where he runs his thumb over his cheek and holds onto his jaw with his fingertips. He caresses Eren for just a moment, before leaning forward and attaching their lips together, Levi’s cold skin chilling Eren’s.

            Eren’s blushing harder than he’s ever blushed before. It’s overwhelming, having Levi and his rich aroma of Windex so close, his fingers grazing Eren’s face as Levi takes control of the kiss, moving his mouth against Eren’s and pausing for breaths every so often. Eren’s chest aches with the passion, his hands twitching with a desire to pull Levi as close as he can.

            Eren feels Levi’s other hand grip onto his body, a few inches under his arm. His fingers tighten around the jacket that Eren has on, and it’s _Levi_ who closes the distance between the two, moving his hand from Eren’s cheek up into his hair and bringing his body close. Eren could die right now and be perfectly fine with it, because Levi’s kiss fills him with such _ecstasy,_ such utter _emotion,_ Eren can’t think of anything but _Levi, Levi, Levi._

            “Hey, Lev- _Oh. Nevermind._ ”

            Levi suddenly drops his hands from around Eren, their lips separating, and Eren backs away, trying to hide his flushed cheeks. He could lie and say that it’s a result of the wind, but it’s probably _really_ obvious as to the true reason why Eren’s as red as the blood that Levi had said was on his clothing.

            “The hell do you want, Hanji?” Levi says, his voice deep as it cuts through the otherwise silent air.

            “I was just going to ask if you want to do anything with the bodies.”

            “They aren’t _dead,_ are they?”

            “No.”

            “Just leave ‘em, then. Unless you _want_ to kill them.”

            “ _Levi!_ ”

            “I’m kidding. Like I said, just leave them.”

            “Fine.”

            Hanji rushes back into the room from where she’d been hanging out the door, interrupting the bliss that was Levi’s lips on Eren’s. Eren looks at Levi with a sheepish smile, and Levi moves himself back over to Eren until their arms are touching.

            “Say, Eren?”

            “Hm?”

            “It doesn’t bother you even a little?” Levi asks, “That I fight people. And that I could die any day, as part of a mafia.”

            “No, it _does_ bother me.”

            “Then why aren’t you running away from me?”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Anybody else would see all of that and get as far away from me as possible.”

            “Like I said. You’re a loser.”

            Levi gives Eren a little grin at that. “Then you must be a loser, too, huh? Losers date losers.”

            “I’m a loser, then,” Eren throws up his hands in defeat.

            Eren lies his head down on Levi’s shoulder, burying his nose into Levi’s neck. It’s a little painful to have to bend down so far, considering Levi’s actually a few good inches shorter than Eren is, but it’s worth it. Eren can smell the Windex better in this position, and it’s a refreshing smell. Eren never thought that he’d love the way that Windex smells, and yet, here he is, inhaling deeply and filling his nose with Levi’s fragrance.

            If Eren is Levi’s princess, then that easily makes Levi into Eren’s _prince._ His knight in dull, colorless armor. His hero who happily wears flowers in his boots.

            Eren’s family is going to _kill_ him if they ever find out about what Levi does in his spare time.

            But Eren doesn’t even care that Levi’s probably killed people before. Levi’s just a _giant loser teddy bear,_ isn’t he?

            A giant loser teddy bear with a rough exterior.

                                                                                                             ~|~

            “Who’s the guy with the mustache?” Eren whispers, leaning towards Levi.

            “Mike Zacharius. He’s weird, so stay away from him.”

            “I can _hear_ you,” Mike barks, looking up from where he’d been playing cards with Hanji on the floor of Levi's living room.

            Eren smiles, amused. “What about the girl over there?”

            Levi follows Eren’s finger to where he points at a girl snoozing on the chair opposite of him and Eren, a girl with strawberry blonde hair and boots that reach her thighs. “Petra. She’s weird, too.”

            “You’re all a little weird, aren’t you?” Eren laughs, “You all wear black and drink orange juice like it’s going out of style.”

            “At least we don’t try to add _flowers_ to everything.”

            “You started it, though.”

            “All I did was _give_ you the flowers. I didn’t tell you to make me a crown out of them.”

            Eren laughs even harder than that, his eyes on Levi’s hair - he’d bought Eren a bouquet of roses not too long ago as an early Valentine’s gift, as the day approaches faster and faster, and he later walked into his kitchen to find Eren hard at work weaving the flowers in a little crown. He’d explained that his mother taught him how to make them when he was little, though Levi’s the first one to be blessed with one of his creations.

            Ever since Eren first placed the crown on his head and called it finished, Levi’s been a little reluctant to take it off. It’s made of beautiful rose flowers, and it’s light on his head, so much so that he hardly even notices that it’s there. Certain people - _Hanji_ \- tease him for it, but Levi couldn’t care less. He _loves_ it. It matches his shoes - which, Eren makes sure to replace the flowers in every few days so that Levi's not walking around with dead roses in his boots.

            Eren stands, picking up Levi’s cup from where it’d been placed on the table beside the couch. He tells him about his plans to give him a refill on orange juice, and Levi watches him as he walks away - he’s wearing what _has_ to be Levi’s favorite outfit thus far. It’s a delightfully short pink skirt that stretches from Eren’s upper thighs to his midriff, a light checkered design on the fabric. He wears a fuzzy purple sweater with it, a sweater that’s much too big for him - it hangs off of one shoulder, exposing his collarbones, and _yep, he most definitely has freckles below his neck._

            On his legs are thigh highs that stop just below where the skirt starts, white stockings that contrast beautifully with Eren’s perfect skin. He doesn’t wear any shoes right now, as he’s inside and happens to like being able to slide across the hardwood floors, if he’s been truthful in all the times that he’s mentioned it to Levi. Eren’s fallen down a few too many times for his own good, though.

            Levi _did_ manage to get Eren a choker, as well - Eren wears it right now, a purple necklace that presses tightly to his skin, a sheer ribbon in the center with a little lavender charm hanging off of it. It’s _beautiful,_ and the second that Levi saw Eren in it, Levi nearly had a heart attack from his immense joy.

            The other members of Levi’s mafia seem to have taken a liking to Eren. Hanji, especially, but also Petra and Mike and everyone else who’s been introduced to Eren thus far. Eren’s having a little trouble remembering the names of everybody, but he seems to like them, as well. He’s actually _ecstatic,_ every time Levi mentions that someone else from his gang of organized crime is going to come by for a visit.

            Levi’s met Eren’s relatives, too, though he doubts that they have any idea about the _activities_ that Levi participates in. Eren’s mother nearly bowed down to him when they met, and Levi was thrust with all sorts of cakes and teas and pastries - Eren’s sister, Mikasa, was a little less enthusiastic, but Levi didn’t spend much time talking to her. She’d been putting up the decorations that Eren told Levi she’d gone out for, so long ago.

            Eren walks with a slight wave in his hips, a wave that’s interrupted only by Mike fucking Zacharius, who tugs on Eren’s skirt to stop him in his path.

            “Can you get me some more juice, too, _mom?_ ”

            Eren stares at him for a moment, and Mike, having just realized what he says, holds his cup idly in the air as he stares right back at Eren, frozen in place with wide eyes. Hanji, too, has wide eyes, and if Petra were awake, she’d probably be the same way. Levi himself can’t seem to maintain a neutral expression.

            “ _Mom?_ ” Eren repeats, as if he really needs clarification.

            “I- Uh, it was an accident-”

            Eren laughs, and he picks up Mike’s cup from his hands, a genuine smile stretching over his features. “I can do that.”

            Eren truly is a sweetheart.

            Mike’s face couldn’t be any redder. Hanji joins in with Eren’s laughter, keeling over and clutching her stomach as she tries to form words for Mike’s embarrassment. Mike buries his head in his hands.

            Petra stirs, the laughter likely disturbing her slumber. It’s only a second before Eren’s walking into the room again, and he hands Mike - who refuses to look at Eren - his drink before making his way back over to Levi.

            Levi takes his cup, setting it down on the table beside him. He grabs Eren’s wrist and pulls him down into lap, taking a moment to shift so that Eren’s sitting up properly rather than splayed out across the top of him.

            Hanji’s still laughing, and she’s laughing _hard._ Her breaths come out choked, and Mike starts yelling at her to cut it out. Which only makes Hanji laugh even _more._

            “You just going to let him talk to you like that?” Levi asks, brushing his hand over Eren’s thigh and hooking his thumb over the top of his leg coverings. Eren leans back against him, his head resting by Levi’s.

            “Talk to me like what?”

            “He just called you _‘mom.’_ ”

            “Is that bad?”

            “No, I guess not,” Levi sighs, “Just a little weird, is all.”

            “Mm.”

            Levi watches as Hanji finally regains control of herself, sitting up straight and fumbling with her cards before attempting to continue her game with Mike. Mike looks like he wants nothing more than to just _die_ right now.

            “Levi?” Eren murmurs, his voice low and soft.

            “Yeah?”

            “If I’m the mommy of your little mafia group, doesn’t that make you the daddy?”

            Eren’s going to be the death of Levi. His heart skips a beat at Eren’s words, because not only do they imply that he and Eren are a serious thing, but also, _daddy?_ Hearing the word come out of Eren’s mouth in reference to Levi sends Levi’s mind off into sick fantasies that would surely earn him a slap if Eren could read minds.

            Luckily, though, Eren _can’t_ read minds. He might be able to feel Levi’s dick hard against his ass, but he can’t _read minds._

            Eren’s cheeky. He knows exactly what he’s just said, so Levi gives him a thump to his arm in response. Eren bursts into laughter at Levi’s frustration.

            Levi leans his head down, pressing a kiss to Eren’s bare shoulder. It’s a shame, how light his freckles are - they’re completely unnoticeable, at a distance. Levi would like to see Eren’s freckles _all_ of the time, but then again, maybe it’s good that they’re a muted shade. It’s like his little secret - Levi’s one of the few people who knows of Eren’s freckles, and thus he’ll treasure them and run his fingers over Eren’s skin as often as he possibly can.

            It also helps that right now is one of the few times that Levi’s bothered to turn on the lights. Or, well, it was _Eren_ who turned them on, because he’s _“getting tired of tripping over the floor because he can’t see it.”_

            Eren sits back, his mouth close to Levi’s ear. Levi tilts his head towards him, ready for whatever it is that Eren has to say.

            “Remember when we went out shopping last week," Eren murmurs, "And I forced you to wait outside of the Victoria’s Secret?”

            “That’s the lingerie store, right?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Go on.”

            “Well, while I was in there,” Eren continues, his voice hushed, “I bought a little something.”

            “Oh?”

            “Mhm. It’s a pair of lace panties. Black, because I know you like the color so much.”

            “I- I never said that I _liked_ the color black,” Levi chokes out, trying to seem unfazed by the thought of _Eren in beautiful underwear, Eren sitting around the house in tight underclothing and one of his cute sweaters, Eren in bed with him while wearing the underwear, fucking hell, Levi_ has _to see Eren in his new lingerie. As soon as possible._ “Are you wearing them?”

            “What, right now? _Maybe._ That’s for you to find out _later._ ”

            Levi’s not going to be killed from his mafia activities. He’s not going to get shot, he’s not going to get beaten up, he’s not going to be gutted with a knife – no, Levi’s going to die _long_ before anyone has the chance to do any of that stuff to him.

            Because _Eren’s_ going to be the death of Levi. And Levi loves it more than anything else.

            "So why exactly are you a part of a _mafia?_ "

            "Like you said a while ago, princess," Levi states, "It's, uh, _fun._ And sometimes it pays well."

            "You guys are a bunch of huge dorks, you know."

            "Shut it, Jaeger."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who couldn't resist writing a second part to this.

            Levi’s eyes are assaulted by a sudden light blinding him, and he squints to see none other than Eren doing a little jog into the room - he’s dressed up, as per the usual, but today he wears a flouncy little miniskirt that bounces up and down over his thighs with each step, his uncovered legs a distraction to Levi from the tight pink top over his abdomen and the thin band that stretches just above his waist. Levi can’t say that he didn’t know Eren was coming, though, because Eren’s heels make thunderous clicks even with his softest steps.

            Eren holds a small box close to his stomach, blocking it from sight with his hands and wrists. He pulls his knees close together, clearly nervous as he comes to stand across from Levi, opening his mouth and preparing to speak. Levi, on the other hand, sits back on his living room couch, his eyes finally adjusted, patiently awaiting whatever it is that Eren has to say to him. Eren must’ve flipped on the lights before walking into the room, but Levi can’t complain. Better lighting means a better view of Eren.

            “Hey, Levi,” Eren greets, his anxious stance immediately turning into a happier one as he straightens himself out and smiles his brightest grin, “Guess what I bought today?”

            “More panties?”

            “Wha- No, Levi.”

            “A thong.”

            “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? No, this is a gift for _you._ ”

            “Uh. I don’t know, then. Bread?”

            “ _No,_ Levi. I bought you a candle.”

            “A candle?”

            “Yeah!” Eren walks up to Levi, his skirt flowing behind him. His clothing lands partially on Levi’s leg when Eren takes his seat next to him, their lower halves touching at the sides and, within seconds, at the shoulders as Levi wraps his arm around Eren’s back. “It’s supposed to smell like coconut and vanilla.”

            “Does it?”

            “Sort of. I think it smells like a cake, but either way, it doesn't smell _bad_.” Eren sets the box on Levi’s lap, diligently working the case open with his fingers until soon enough, he lifts up a thick white candle surrounded in a blue glass.

            Eren holds it out for Levi to get a whiff of, and he does just that - it smells sweet, and really, it makes him hungry for cookies. The smell lingers in his nose, a tropical fragrance mixed with a deliciously saccharine, dessert aroma. It’s not surprising that Eren would pick out a candle like this, one so reminiscent of candy and of the beach - _he’s_ the one who skips through life in short dresses that expose his arms and every inch of his legs. It fits his personality. Eren’s a very outdoorsy sort of person, and he has a passion for cute, fragrant things.

            Levi, admittedly, _loves_ the candle. He can’t decide whether it’s just because it’s so sweet, or if it’s the fact that Eren’s _giving_ it to him, or even if it’s just simply the way that it reminds him so well of _Eren_ and his pretty outfits and how he so often falls asleep when he sits on Levi’s lap, how he might dress like a doll but still has trouble remembering his manners sometimes - Levi’s found Eren in positions that he really shouldn’t be in when bearing a skirt that hardly covers his necessities - and even how Eren likes to threaten him with kicks to the gut every time Levi steps out of place.

            He’s not _afraid_ of Eren, per se, but he has no doubt that if Eren really wanted to, he _could_ wreckhim. Levi still adores his tough, graceful lover to his fullest extent, though. Which is why he desperately wants to light the candle and have his house smell like tanned legs and elegant clothing.

            “ _So_ ,” Eren says, the smile never fading from his face - it actually accentuates the little freckles on Eren’s shoulders that Levi loves so much, and Levi would do anything in his power to keep Eren _this_ happy. “Do you like it?”

            “I fucking _love_ it, Eren,” Levi confirms, pressing a quick kiss to Eren’s cheek, “But why?”

            “Why what?”

            “Why did you buy this?”

            “To brighten up the house, since you like it so dark in here. Plus, it’ll help remove some of the, uh, the _Windex_ smell in here.”

            “Windex smells good, though.”

            “It smells _better_ when I’m not suffocating in it.”

            “What’re you trying to say?”

            “Nothing. Just that I think you could use a change in air here.”

            “Hand me a lighter and turn off the lights,” Levi commands after a moment. Eren stands, and after a few quick directions from Levi, he manages to find a candle lighter in the drawer of a table by Levi’s couch. Eren tosses it to him, and within seconds, Eren’s back at Levi’s side, the room dark again and the candle lit. Levi places it on the ground in front of them, far enough away that they’re not in threat of starting a fire but still close enough that it lights up Eren’s face and his legs, his slim body and his flowy skirt. The skirt has a flowery design on it - most of Eren’s clothing does. Levi thinks that it’s in part because Eren has a thing for flowers now, but also because Eren wants to match Levi in some way - Levi's constantly given little flower gifts from Eren, and Levi gladly puts each present to good use. Hence why there's a flower crown on his head now and roses in his shoes.

            They’ve been dating for several months, and with the warming temperatures, Levi finds it harder and harder to be apart from Eren. Eren’s surprisingly good at kicking ass, making him now a _crucial_ member of their mafia. He’s not afraid to slam someone’s throat in with his shoes, and he’s _far_ from being afraid of getting a little blood on his skin.

            Eren really _has_ become the mommy of Levi’s mafia. And, while Mike Zacharius blushes furiously every time someone refers to Eren as _‘mom,’_ Mike himself calls Eren that rather often. Levi has a feeling that he’s doing it subconsciously, though.

            Eren lifts his legs up, until he’s half-sitting on Levi, his knees at Levi’s gut and his head resting on his shoulder. Levi rubs his fingers up Eren’s side, squeezing him every so often. It doesn’t take long for the candle to affect the room, and Levi finds himself breathing deeply, every sense being overwhelmed with Eren and memories of the little things they’ve done together, and suddenly the delicate flower crown that Levi still carries on his head, worn to bits after all this time that they’ve been together, becomes a million times heavier.

            Levi lifts his fingers up to Eren’s chin, pulling his head back and attaching their lips together. Eren immediately falls into the kiss, his own hands going up to tug on Levi’s hair and bring him closer. Levi molds himself into Eren, his grip wandering away from Eren’s chin to go grasp at his hips, bringing him near and ruffling the neatness of Eren’s outfit.

            Levi slowly brings Eren down onto the couch, pinning him to the cushions. One hand curls around Eren’s wrist and pulls it up so that it’s by Eren’s head, and the other hand keeps Eren’s body in place steadily. Eren’s legs hang off the side of the couch, and as the kiss deepens, Levi hears the two faint _thuds_ of Eren’s heels sliding off and hitting the floor.

            Levi closes his eyes - it’s not like he could see much, anyways - absorbing himself in the feeling of Eren around him. His jaw grows sore from the rapid moving of their mouths together, and Eren, too, seems to grow weary under the constant attention - he gasps against Levi, the kiss becoming sloppier and sloppier until it’s more like Eren’s kissing Levi’s chin rather than his lips.

            Levi releases Eren’s wrist along with his mouth, and he shifts himself downward so that he’s kissing at Eren’s neck and running his hands along the expanse of Eren’s legs, his eyes open once more. Eren’s thighs are smooth, a surface hard but still soft enough to be played with. Eren spreads his legs easily, allowing Levi to position himself between them as he continues to leave little marks down Eren’s collar.

            Eren takes Levi’s crown off, tossing it off to the side. Levi would be upset about this, but then Eren’s hands go to the tight white band around his waist, and as Eren pulls his clothing off, Levi suddenly becomes the happiest man alive.

            Eren’s top comes off, along with his belt, exposing the lissome curves of his upper body. He’s muscular, with faint abs poking through his stomach, his outline accentuated by the flickering light of the candle nearby. He looks even more golden than usual, his arms slender and his few freckles shining under the fire.

            Levi leans down, and he attaches his lips to the skin of Eren’s stomach. Eren’s hands find his head, threading through his hair and, more so, his undercut, holding on lightly as Levi trails up Eren’s chest with wet kisses.

            “Eren,” Levi grunts, having reached a spot just below one of Eren’s ears, the ear farthest away from the candle, “You're so _beautiful._ "

            At that, Eren bucks his hips up against Levi's, his cock hard through his skirt and his waist starting the tremble in the slightest. Levi swipes his tongue out, licking along Eren's earlobe, and Eren lets out a moan in response, prompting Levi to move his hands down to Eren's legs and gradually work his fingers up until they're sliding under Eren's skirt. Eren makes no sort of argument against it, so Levi finds himself grasping at Eren's ass, increasing the friction against their crotches and breaking down the prim and proper wall that his lover had established when he walked into the room with his short pink skirt and close-fitting top.

            Levi's fingers grab at Eren's underwear, feeling around to get an understanding of what Eren's chosen to wear tonight - if Levi's hands don't lie, Eren's wearing a thin fabric, with what feels like lace on the edges. It's very obviously a pair of panties, and Levi curls his index finger around the side, tugging on them with one hand and using the other to keep the grinding action between him and Eren up.

            Eren pulls his head back, gasping as Levi teases the sweeter parts of his body, "Ah- _Levi, please._ "

            "Please what?"

            " _Please-_ Levi,fuck me, please, _Levi,_ " Eren moans, "I- I need you, please."

            Levi can't really say no to that, now can he?

            Levi reels back from Eren, sitting up straighter. Eren's a _mess_ beneath him, his legs spread so far apart, his fingers - which had been clutching at Levi's hair just a moment ago, but now lie limp on his stomach - trembling, his hair tossed about, and his toes curling beside Levi. Levi, honestly, can't _wait_ to get his hands all over Eren, to spoil his princess in a way that no other man or woman could. Levi wants to hear Eren _scream_ his name and tell him that he's all his.

            Eren is Levi's princess, and if Eren's royalty, then Levi might as well make him feel like it.

            Levi removes his hands from Eren's panties, and he instead goes to grip onto his skirt, pulling it down over his legs and ankles. He flings it to the side, careful not to hit his new candle.

            Eren, in his flustered state, curls himself up just high enough to tug on Levi's shirt and work it up over his chest. Levi, getting the hint, helps remove the dark fabric from his body, where it goes to join the other clothing on the floor.

            Levi was most certainly right in his suspicions - Eren bears a pair of dark lingerie, undergarments just sheer enough to be teasing and playful but just thick enough that Levi can't actually see what lies behind.

            With little warning, Levi flips Eren over onto his stomach. Eren gasps a little, but he catches on quickly, and he pulls himself onto his hands and knees for Levi.

            Levi really couldn't have picked a better princess to fall in love with. Eren's beautiful, but he's also smart, and he ceases to surprise Levi every day with the little things, like buying him candles or wearing underwear that makes Levi’s chest twist with his anticipation for what’s to come.

            Levi places himself over Eren, hands glued to his waist. He grinds his clothed length against Eren’s ass, one hand sneaking down to palm him through his lingerie and bring out the little gasps that Levi’s ears so desperately love. With each run of Levi’s fingers over Eren’s cock, a moan falls from his lips, and Levi perks up a bit each time. Eren twitches in Levi’s palm, which is when Levi decides to speed things along.

            Levi removes himself from over Eren, his pants already growing damp with his pre-cum. He moves his lips down to Eren’s legs, attaching himself just below the underwear, sucking little marks into the uncovered flesh. He finishes each kiss off with the swipe of his tongue before moving on, gradually inching his way up until he’s pulling Eren’s panties up over his ass for more access. Eren chants his name, and Levi glances over to see that Eren’s peering down at him, his cheek buried into the cushion and his eyes glazed over. His face has turned a rich shade, hair sticking to his forehead and lips parted.

            One more bite to Eren’s inner thigh, and Levi can’t take it anymore. The sight of Eren, combined with the feeling of his skin between his lips, it’s not enough. He needs to feel Eren in every way possible, every fiber of his being is _begging_ for more.

            Levi positions his head to the side of Eren's body, using his teeth to pull Eren's underwear from his hips. Eren pants, his mouth uttering noises that Levi's only ever _dreamed_ of hearing escape his lover's lips as the underwear slowly trails away from his legs and, soon, onto the floor with the rest of Eren's outfit.

            "Eren," Levi murmurs, his throat drying at the sight of his lover so _exposed_ and so _ready_ for him, "Can I touch you?"

            " _Please-_ Please, touch me all you want, Levi."

            Levi doesn't need to be told twice. He stands up and, tripping over himself several times in his impatience, finds everything that he needs in the drawer by his couch. He keeps his supplies here, knowing that not only do he and Eren more commonly get intimate on the couch - as was proven by their first night together along with nearly every night after - but it's also usually too dark for anyone else to be able to see it, if they dared to look in the drawers for whatever reason. That, and maybe Levi's just a little hopeful about getting laid.

            Levi hasn't done more with Eren than merely touch him through his clothing, so it's _different,_ to be able to see what he looks like underneath his skimpy dresses and to be able to touch what he's only been able to imagine for the past few months.

            Eren's, without a doubt, everything that Levi's ever wanted. He's gorgeous, tough, and he's willing to try new things. A perfect match for what _should_ be Eren's polar opposite, a mafia member who's still trying to get a sense for nocturnal vision and wears flowers in his boots.

            Levi sets his things down lazily on the floor beside the couch - all he's brought are a bottle of lube and a towel, a towel to be used later when Eren's most definitely going to be coated in things that'll make Levi recoil from the _filth._ It's worth it, though, because, at the very least, Levi's gotten to see Eren without any clothing on. And that in itself is a treat.

            Levi grabs the bottle from the floor, and within seconds, his fingers are coated and he's moving over to position himself on top of Eren. He gives Eren's back a kiss, warning him briefly before the first finger enters.

            The reaction is immediate - Eren's back arches, his chest hitting the cushions of the couch, and he grips onto the seat so tightly that his once-shaking knuckles are calmed. Levi keeps only one finger in for a few moments, letting Eren adjust as he trails the pad of his index finger down Eren's inner walls. He moves slowly, and it isn't until Eren practically begs him for more does Levi decide that it's time for the second finger to enter.

            His middle finger slides in next, and he pumps the two in and out, his face growing warm with eagerness and desire. Eren's moans are long and anything but quiet, filling the room and sending shivers down Levi's back, his noises mingling with Levi's groans. He switches to scissoring his middle and index fingers inside of Eren, his lower body aching with his pure want and his legs unable to sit still in the way that they are - Levi's set on his haunches, peering down at Eren and watching every movement that his fingers send Eren's body into.

            Lastly, Levi slips a third finger in, unable to handle the teasing anymore. He moves his fingers in and out again, and the slow thrusts of his hand gradually turn into more rapid ones. Levi's glad that he does such, too - he finds Eren's prostate within moments, and Eren cries his pleasure out and tries to bury his face away in the couch. Levi uses his free hand to pet Eren's hair briefly, and he murmurs to him about wanting to hear his voice - Eren must understand, because the next time that Levi rams his fingers into him, Eren makes sure to hold his head up high enough to let his cry be heard. Which prompts Levi into making absolutely sure that he hits Eren's prostate over and over again, pushing Eren until he's little more than a puddle of whines and gasps.

            Levi doesn't want to stop. He wants to fuck Eren over and over with his fingers until Eren can't speak a name other than _Levi_ , he wants to flip Eren over and watch his face as he hurls his fist deeper inside - with permission, of course. Levi's princess gets to call the shots here, if he so desires. What good is a princess if they don't have some sort of control?

            Eren pushes himself back on Levi's fingers, his speech slurred and incomprehensible. Levi's cock twitches from where it lies still in his pants, and it becomes harder and harder to maintain his stoical stance above Eren. Eren seems to get this, and he shoves himself down on Levi's fingers again, simultaneously playing with both of their bodies when Levi's fingers go in all the way up to the knuckle.

            Levi slides out of Eren after that, knowing that Eren’s fully prepared to take a little more now. Levi shifts, pulling Eren closer and gripping onto his chest, hunching over his body to press kisses onto his tense shoulder blades.

            “Mm, Eren,” Levi whispers, his hands holding on lightly to his warm lover. Eren's upper body heaves up and down with his hurried breaths, and Levi himself feels his heart racing. “You’re fine, love. _Perfect._ Calm down.”

            Levi feels Eren slightly relax under him, and he presses his nose to Eren’s shoulder, kissing his back again. He waits until Eren’s breathing is acceptable and his body is loose before sitting up straight again and moving his hands down to his pants. He takes his belt off first, following it up by unbuckling his dark pants as best as he can in the dim lighting. He slides his cock out, the head already leaking with each throb that passes through his length. It’s almost painful, what with how uncomfortable each pulse is and what with how flushed he's turned, but Levi still takes the time to slick himself up with a little extra lube just to make sure that _Eren_ doesn’t feel any sort of irritation.

            Levi positions himself by Eren’s hole, placing his hands on Eren’s hips and rubbing his thumbs into his skin. He gives off another little warning before gently pushing his way in, fitting as much of his length in as he can while Eren pants beneath him. Eren keeps his head up, taking Levi’s request to heart as he lets every noise uttered from his body be heard loud and clear.

            Eren’s tight, _incredibly_ tight, hot around Levi’s length as he fills him up. Levi’s never felt so _good_ before, Eren’s body is no less than an utter _paradise. Nobody’s_ ever felt so nice to the touch, and Eren’s body sends foreign sensations down Levi’s spine, his mind going numb with pleasure.

            Once Eren starts to clench around Levi, he pulls out, leaving only the tip in before thrusting back into Eren a little faster than he’d started off with. He gradually picks up the pace, never fully leaving Eren’s body but making sure to take just enough out so that Eren can feel the full effect of his cock inside him with each and every pound.

            It’s overwhelming, for Levi to have his beautiful, lithe lover so _uncovered._ His precious princess, always dressed in high quality fabrics and enough flowers that he has to swat bugs away when he goes outside, so _bare_ and so _desirable._ Levi hasn’t seen Eren so undressed ever before - this is their first time together, but Levi can’t say that the wait wasn’t worth it, because it _was,_ to have Eren end up beneath him like _this._ It’s a sight to drool over, really.

            Pure ecstasy courses through his veins at the feeling of _Eren_ around him, tightening and untightening around what Levi puts inside him. Eren's gasps are encouragements, urging Levi in and out, begging him to find the little spot that'll make Eren _scream_ in absolute pleasure again.

            It takes Levi a few extra thrusts, but he manages to find Eren’s prostate once more, driving him mad as he picks up the pace until Levi has to grab onto the side of the couch to keep himself upright. Eren’s moans become choked, his face occasionally meeting the cushions with some of Levi’s harder fucks. Levi’s crotch tightens with his oncoming orgasm, and he pulls out of Eren, gripping Eren with his hands and flipping him over so that he’s on his back. Eren’s surprised by this for a moment, but he catches on, spreading his legs once more for Levi and letting him in between. Levi holds onto the cushions beside Eren’s body, and he pushes inside Eren again, resuming where he’d left off.

            If Eren was enticing while on his hands and knees, he’s _irresistible_ now, in such a position that Levi can see every twist of his face and every twitch of his muscles. Eren’s mouth is open, gasping before Levi even has more than an inch in at a time. Levi, knowing that it’ll only be a matter of time before he’s finished, uses one of his hands to pump Eren’s length, encouraging his orgasm. He flicks his wrist in time with his thrusts, occasionally being a little sloppy and losing his sync but mostly keeping his pace.

            Levi's cock throbs as he pulls back out of Eren completely, his hand increasing its hold on the couch. Eren cries out when Levi rams his length inside of him again, Eren's legs trembling and his arms shaking as he nears his climax. Levi slides his fingers up and down Eren's cock, using the lube leftover from his fingering to quicken the pace. Eren's breathing grows even more erratic, and his groans come out like whimpers, music to Levi's ears. It's not too high pitched, but it's not so low that Levi couldn't find the immense joy that he does in it.

            Levi continues to pump Eren's cock with his thrusts, the sounds emitting from Eren's mouth only causing Levi to want _more_ and _more_ and _more_. The panties might not be on Eren's body right now, but the memory is still fresh in Levi's mind, blood rushing down to his nether regions as thoughts fill Levi of how cute and provocative Eren looked in his tight little lingerie, the lace as little handles just waiting to be grabbed, the front dangerously low and the back _just_ tight enough to make Levi question why he's never appreciated panties in such a way ever before.

            Eren turns to mush under Levi, his lips chanting his name like a chorus while his body rocks back and forth, pushing down on Levi’s cock. Levi swallows roughly, his heart beating quickly and his hips moving of their own volition, fucking Eren at a swift pace. His face flushes, breaths escaping from his mouth as grunts and pants, and he feels Eren grab onto his hair. It’s a light hold, but just tight enough to tell Levi that Eren’s close.

            “ _Fuck_ ,” Levi huffs, “Fuck, fuck, fuck, _Eren_ -”

            Levi cums first, pulling out just in time and releasing himself on Eren’s stomach. Eren orgasms not a second afterward, his body tainted with streams of white as he tries to pull himself up into a sitting position. Levi stops him, pushing him back down with a hand to Eren’s shoulder and a kiss to his forehead.

            “Levi?” Eren chokes out.

            “Yeah, princess?”

            “I love you.”

            Levi’s breathless. Eren’s flawless, even when - _especially_ when - he’s coated in the results of their love, his stomach moving with his breathing, his body sticky and wet. The three little words that he utters, they send Levi's heart into a flutter unachieved by the rush of lovemaking, a sort of anxious feeling that Levi really likes. He genuinely feels concern for Eren, and he has no doubt that he loves Eren back - Levi spends so much time worrying over him, always trying to convince Eren to stay back and stay away from Levi's mafia activities, always trying to scavenge enough money together to please Eren with the surprise of another bouquet of flowers, flowers that usually end up either in Levi's shoes, in his hair, or on one of Eren's outfits.

            "I love you, too, Eren," Levi murmurs, and Eren smiles at that - his lips upturn in such a way that Levi feels drawn to them, and he gives Eren a quick kiss, thumbs to Eren’s soft cheeks and his fingers grazing Eren’s jaw. "More than anything else."

            Levi reluctantly backs away from Eren and leans down to pick up the towel that he’d gathered earlier when he’d gotten the lube, and he sets to work cleaning Eren’s abdomen off, despite how much he really wants nothing more than to just curl up with Eren in his arms right now. He and Eren have body types that are just different enough that Levi could easily bury Eren in his chest, if he wanted to - Eren’s a little slimmer, width-wise, than Levi is.

            His pants feel tight, stuck to his skin. As soon as Eren’s relatively clean, he tries to fix _himself_ up as best as he can, putting his cock away and smoothing the hair from his face.

            “Eren,” Levi addresses, “How do you feel?”

            “Uh, I'm fine, why?”

            “Are you tired?”

            “Kind of.”

            Levi nods. He drops the towel, making a mental note that the living room _desperately_ needs a thorough scrubbing, and he stands. Levi scoops Eren up into his arms, holding him bridal style with one hand to Eren’s shoulder blades and the other to the backs of Eren’s knees. He whisks Eren away to his bedroom, just down the nearest hallway and in the farthest room over. He feels around in the darkness with his feet and sets Eren on his bed, climbing in next to him. He wraps his arms around Eren’s waist and brings him close. Eren buries his face in Levi’s hair.

            Eren’s warm, his body heating Levi’s arms and his chest and his cheeks from where their two figures connect. Eren presses lazy kisses to Levi’s head, each kiss counting down the time until he’s due to fall asleep as Eren grows slower and slower, drowsier and drowsier.

            Eren’s beautiful. Eren, really, could’ve just sat there like a log during their entire session and it would’ve been perfect, because _Eren’s_ perfect. Levi’s only ever known a striking Eren, an Eren who skips through life in little skirts and thin tops, but seeing him like Levi had is a whole new experience. The lighting was dim, but Levi saw all that he needed to see, his princess unclothed and fully willing. Eren’s waist is thin, perfect for grabbing and holding onto, skin as tanned as ever. His thighs are a little thicker, and they practically beckoned for Levi to come closer and taint them with his tongue, to graze his teeth over every single inch of Eren's curved legs, his hips and the toned ass that Levi pounded the life out of. His legs are well-built, but still slim - they’re hard to the touch, but slender enough that Levi could wrap his whole hand around the ankles.

            Eren had been a little shit about becoming _that_ sort of intimate with Levi for _months._ It started all that time ago, when Levi’s princess sauntered about the room in his fuzzy purple sweater and tight skirt, tugging on his purple choker like it was a dog collar. He’d purposefully made sure to tease Levi throughout the day, sitting on his lap and bending over in front of him as often as one human can - because obviously it wasn’t enough that Levi was already painfully hard from the _thought_ of Eren in tight, revealing lingerie. No, he had to _see_ it, too. And the worst part is, the second that Hanji, Mike, and Petra had left, Levi had tried to do exactly what Eren had been hinting at all day. Levi had merely snuck a hand up Eren's dress, but his hand only lingered for a good, _heavenly_ thirty seconds before Eren told him off for _“being a pervert.”_ Levi's certain Eren didn't mean it to be malicious, though, he just wanted to torture Levi by flaunting a little something that Levi, apparently, wasn’t allowed to have yet.

            Levi’s not mad. He can’t be. Not when he’d waited patiently for Eren to decide when he’s ready. If anything, he’s ecstatic. Eren’s just as, if not _more_ , beautiful _underneath_ his pastel dresses than he is when he’s dressed from head to toe in them.

            Levi loves the cuddling that they’ve been doing ever since they’ve started dating just as much, too – there’s something about having Eren pressed to his chest at the end of every day that brightens Levi’s mood up, even if just in the slightest.

            Eren falls asleep first, which is to be expected. He always does. Even when they’re just sitting in the living room, Eren falls asleep first. Levi likes it, too - it lets him have just _that_ much extra time to watch Eren without being teased for staring. Eren sleeps with his mouth slightly open, breathing through it rather than through his nose. He snores a little, not too loud but just faint enough to be considered as such. It's cute, really, but Levi can't think of a single thing that Eren does that _isn't_ cute. Even when he sits in a rather unladylike fashion around guests, there's a sort of aspect to his naivety that makes Levi adore Eren just a little bit more with each passing moment.

            Levi falls asleep with his head on Eren’s shoulder and their legs wrapped together. And _maybe_ he'd given Eren a few kisses before going to sleep, but who knows, right?

                                                                                                             ~|~

            “No, leave me _alone,_ ” Eren whines, pushing Levi’s arms away from where Levi had been trying to shake Eren awake.

            “What’s wrong, princess? Not a morning person?” Levi taunts.

            “It’s not _that,_ ” Eren gives him his best glare, which is severely ineffective considering that he’s still squinting and trying to adjust to the morning light shining through Levi’s open window nearby - he'd opened it as an attempt to brighten up the place, finally taking Eren's complaints into consideration. And maybe he wanted to see Eren's body under a natural lighting. “I just don’t feel well.”

            “Why? Are you sick? I gave you my jacket for a reason, Eren, where is it? Did you bring it? Maybe I should make you some breakfast. Do you want medicine? I could go down to the store and get some-”

            “It’s not _that,_ Levi.”

            “Then what is- Oh. _Oh,_ ” Levi sits himself on the side of the bed. He rubs a knowing hand over Eren’s waist, which is covered by a large bedsheet, keeping Eren safe and toasty. “Still, I can go get you some medicine, if you’re _that_ sore-”

            “Levi, I’m fine,” Eren reassures. He rolls over so that he’s facing Levi. “Actually, I have a favor to ask you.”

            “Yeah?”

            “Can you paint my nails?”

            Levi stares at him for a moment, before asking, “Do you even _have_ any nail stuff with you?”

            “Yeah! There’s nail polish in the bathroom by the front door. I brought it over a few weeks ago, remember? I thought I told you.”

            “ _Right,_ ” Levi nods, standing up. He only vaguely remembers Eren mentioning such, but nevertheless, he rushes over to the aforementioned restroom, finding exactly what Eren had been talking about on the bathroom sink - there are three different colors, one a baby blue, one an Easter egg sort of purple, and the third one a bright pink. They're all in small bottles, and Levi's able to fit all three in one hand as he carries them away.

            It’s almost like Eren’s already moved into Levi’s house. He has different sorts of outfits here and there throughout the building, he has a collection of shoes growing by Levi’s front door, and apparently, he hides nail polish in the bathrooms.

            Levi doesn't mind. Actually, he'd love to live with Eren. To be able to wake up each morning the same way as he had just hours ago? Levi couldn't wish for better - he'd awoken, today, when it was still dark outside, and the only thing he could see was the faint outline of Eren by him. His clothed legs were heated, tied to Eren's limbs and coated in the thick blanket of his bed. Levi's arms weren't much better, as he'd been holding on tightly to Eren to such a point that, by the time daylight rolled around, Levi found that there were little nail markings on Eren's stomach.

            Levi had flipped open the window, filling the room with sunlight, and that was how he got his confirmation - Levi's apparently a bit clingy when he sleeps, indents puncturing Eren's abdomen where Levi had his hands all night. He just wonders if he's ever left any other similar markings on Eren before, what with how many times they've cuddled and slept together.

            When Levi reaches the bedroom again, he sits himself on the side of the mattress, and Eren holds his hand out for him. His fingers are long and thin, and it’s almost frightening how quickly the thought of putting a ring on Eren’s finger passes through Levi’s mind.

            Levi's just tired, is all. That must be it.

            “I’ve never painted nails before, Eren.”

            “It’s easy. It’s like, uh, it’s kind of like a coloring book. You just have to stay in the lines.”

            “I’ve never been an artist, love.”

            “Well, you’re going to be an artist today.”

            Levi smirks at him, shaking his head briefly. He sets the bottles of nail polish down, and he picks up the blue one first, using one hand to hold onto Eren’s fingers and using the other to unscrew the lid of the nail polish and start his sad attempt at a manicure.

            Levi’s clearly not cut out for this. His first try ends with him adding _too_ much nail polish, and now Eren’s index finger is a disturbingly neon shade of blue. The second try, on Eren’s middle finger, results in Levi completely _missing_ the nail and, once more, Eren has a finger dyed a bright hue. One more try to Eren’s ring finger ends up a little better, but Levi still accidentally paints Eren’s skin around his nail.

            “Levi?”

            “What?”

            “You’re pathetic.”

            “ _I’m_ pathetic? _You’re_ the one who asked me to do this.”

            Eren pauses for a moment, a little grin on his face, before taking his hand away from Levi. He props himself up on his elbow, and he grabs one of Levi’s hands, pulling it close.

            “First,” Eren instructs, shoving at the skin on the ends of Levi’s nails, “You’re supposed to push back the cuticles.”

            “The what?”

            “The- Nevermind. Just watch.”

            Levi does as he’s told, watching as Eren prepares his hand. He chooses to use the purple nail polish on him, and he does a _much_ better job than Levi had - by the end, Levi has a rather admirable set of nails on his fingers, and it actually makes him feel _pretty,_ as awkward as it is for him to think. Maybe if he’d tried to grow out his nails rather than leave them stumpy and unappealing, Levi could put his new claws to good use.

            Levi’s noticed that Eren paints his nails, but he’d never really paid much attention to it. Eren must spend a _lot_ of time on his appearance, as his outfits always match and he never seems to wear any of the same things for two days in a row. His nails, too, seem to always be a shade that goes well with his clothing.

            Levi’s going to have to learn how to give manicures. If not for his own benefit, then definitely for Eren’s - he can’t help but wonder if they make skin-toned nail polish, though, because if he’s going to wear any, he’d rather not have anyone see it so obviously. It’s one thing for everyone to _suspect_ that Eren has Levi whipped, and it’s another thing for it to be so obvious that Eren might as well have Levi on a dog collar.

            Levi holds out his other hand for Eren, raising his eyebrows expectantly. Eren returns the gaze, and he laughs, “You like the nail polish? Should I pick out a dress for you, too? Maybe we can match today. You know, I _do_ happen to have two sweaters that-”

            “ _Shut it,_ Jaeger. Just paint my damn nails.”

                                                                                                             ~|~

            “Levi?”

            “Yeah?”

            “It smells nice in here.”

            “Had the candle lit all night, love. I didn’t blow it out ‘till this morning.”

            “Oh,” Eren murmurs. He sighs a little, his heart content and satisfied. Levi likes his gift, Levi likes _him,_ so much so that he’s willing to kiss him and wear _flowers in his hair,_ when Levi most certainly doesn’t have to at all. Levi could easily just take the roses and put them away, but no, Levi puts each and every flower product that Eren crafts for him to good use until the flowers are brown at the edges and dry.

            “You don’t have any plans for today, do you, princess?” Levi asks.

            “Uh, not that I know of. Can we go somewhere?”

            “Where do you want to go?” Levi asks, running his freshly painted nails through Eren’s hair - they’ve been painted for a good few hours, though Eren has to remind Levi constantly that he’s allowed to touch things now. The nail polish is quick to dry, but Eren can still feel the hesitation in Levi’s fingers as they course over his head. Eren had offered to try and add little designs to Levi’s nails, but Levi refused - Eren suspects that he _did_ want them, and likely still _does_ , but is just trying to save what’s left of his manliness, if the way he’d muttered his refusal to Eren's proposal is any indication.

            “I don’t know,” Eren whispers, leaning his cheek onto Levi’s shoulder. Eren still lies in bed, halfway under the blankets, but Levi’s sitting up, half-dressed and comforting Eren. “Maybe, um. I’ve always wanted to go on a picnic, so maybe that?”

            “A picnic?”

            “Yeah.”

            “That’s cute,” Levi purrs, “But, you know, only _losers_ go on picnics.”

            “And who decided that?”

            “I did. Just now.”

            “Then we’re losers, because we’re going on a picnic.”

            “Do you need help?” Levi offers, “Getting dressed, I mean. I could pick out your outfit for you.”

            “No, thank you,” Eren sighs, sitting up slowly. “I don’t- I don’t really think I should have _you_ matching my clothing for me.”

            “Why not?”

            Eren raises his eyebrows, giving Levi a look as he pushes the blankets to the side and stands up. “Have you _seen_ your wardrobe?”

            “It’s not _that_ bad.”

            “Levi, there’s no variety.”

            “I don’t _need_ variety.” At that, Eren gives him a look.

            Levi’s bedroom is fairly small, at least when compared to the rest of his house. The closet is set up right next to his bed, and across the room is the entrance to a little bathroom. There’s a mirror set up on the backside of the door, and to its side sits a long dresser with lots of Levi’s belongings splayed out in a fairly organized manner. It feels comfortable, though, and Eren finds a sort of happiness in that it’s not an overly extravagant room.

            Eren stands by the closet, pushing open the door and sorting through his self-proclaimed side. They’ve never truly established their borders yet, but Eren has enough of his clothing in Levi’s room that there’s a very distinct line separating his colorful, pastel clothing and Levi’s dark, dreary shirts.

            Eren pulls out a dress and shoes, glaring at Levi as he passes by him and steals a pair of underwear from the dresser by the bathroom door. It takes him a few tries to find the specific drawer that Levi hides his boxers in, but once he finds them, he wastes no time in picking a pair up.

            Levi, of course, seems to own exclusively _black_ boxers.

            Eren shuts the door to the restroom behind him as he enters, leaving Levi alone to be with his stupid smirk – a smirk likely caused by Eren’s exasperation - and his alluring muscles. He’d already had his pants and shoes on, though why he didn’t bother to put a shirt on is beyond Eren.

            Not that Eren minds too much. Levi has a _really_ nice chest.

            Eren takes significantly less time dressing himself today than he usually does - the underwear is Levi’s, so it’s easier to fit on over his legs. The dress, too, is a bit larger than what he normally bears, the skirt falling just above Eren’s knees and the bodice a light tan color. The bottom of the dress is poofy, contrasting the body-hugging top that stretches over Eren’s torso. He wears heels to match, open-toed shoes that add an inch to his height. The dress is a lot more unembellished than what he usually puts on himself, but knowing himself, it’ll only be a matter of time before the dress has _something_ to make it stick out.

            "Lookin' good, princess," Levi whistles as Eren exits the bathroom. Eren rolls his eyes at him.

            "It's a little plain, but- Levi, why don't _you_ ever dress up?"

            "Do I need to?"

            "No, but it'd be nice. You'd look so _handsome._ "

            "I don't look handsome now?"

            "No, you do, it's just, you'd look _more_ handsome. Don’t you own _anything_ fancy?”

            “Not that I know of. You can look, though.”

            “Give me a second.”

            Eren skitters over to Levi’s closet again, and he pushes his way through Levi’s millions of different black shirts in search of _something_ different. Levi comes up beside him and watches, leaning against the wall and waiting for Eren to find something worthwhile.

            Eren flips through the shirts, lingering on each one for only a second as his eyes take in all that they behold. Sometimes he flips back to take a second look at a shirt, prompting an eyebrow raise from Levi and a sneer as Eren realizes that, yes, the shirt that he went back to look at is _exactly like the rest of them._

            Eren doesn’t spot anything _remotely_ unique until he hits the very back of Levi’s closet, and once he eyes his prize, he practically rips it off of the hanger that it was on and he holds it up victoriously in front of Levi.

            “A suit jacket!” Eren cheers, “Levi, why didn’t you tell me you had this?”

            “I didn’t know that I did.”

            “Put it on.” Eren shoves the clothing at Levi and Levi fumbles with it for a moment.

            “But I-”

            “ _Put it on._ Please?” Eren gives Levi puppy eyes, knowing that they’re his greatest weakness. Levi tries to maintain his stance, but he melts within seconds, his face falling as he pushes Eren aside and snatches a shirt from his closet to go under the jacket.

            Eren stands by patiently, waiting as Levi pulls the black top over his head and follows it up with the jacket. It’s tight at the shoulders, a shade just a little lighter than the t-shirt he has on and his dark pants. The coat actually looks _really_ good on Levi, accentuating his upper arm muscles and just short enough that the sleeves don’t cover his hands. It goes well with his serious, set face, his jet black locks of hair, and it contrasts perfectly with the ivory of Levi’s skin.

            “Levi, you’re so _gorgeous,_ ” Eren exclaims, wrapping his arms around Levi and giving him a hug. Levi only just _barely_ returns it, holding the tips of his fingers on Eren’s waist.

            “I shouldn’t have to wear this for a damn _picnic,_ can’t we save this for some other time?”

            “Like when?”

            “I don’t know. I don’t _care_. I’m not wearing this out.”

            “But-”

            “No.”

            “Please?”

            “No.”

            “What if I add flowers to it?”

            “Flowers?”

            “Yeah! Look, give me a minute, okay?”

            Levi stares at Eren, his face devoid of any sort of emotion. Eren looks away, glancing around the room and finding a little thin vase in the corner with a few plants poking out. Eren steps over to it, pulling the flowers out and wiping water off before positioning himself in front of Levi again.

            “I forgot I had those,” Levi mutters as Eren sits on the edge of the mattress. Eren picks up a bright pink flower, and he looks over Levi’s outfit for a moment, trying to figure out where he should place it. Levi continues, “I put those there a few days ago so that I’d remember to give you them, but, ah. I forgot.”

            “Maybe it’s because you didn’t see them. You know, since you keep the place so _dark_ ,” Eren murmurs, unsurprised - Levi washes flowers over Eren in such a constant stream that it wouldn’t be stunning to find out that Levi’s single-handedly keeping every florist in the area in business. Eren, after a moment of looking Levi over, settles on using two fingers to separate the pocket of the jacket over Levi’s chest so that it’s open. Eren places the first flower in, trying to get the stem to pierce the fabric so that it’ll stay in place.

            Once the pink flower is in, Eren moves on, putting each flower in one by one until Levi has a bouquet sticking out of the pocket. Eren asks Levi for one of the many flower crowns that he’s made him, and Levi momentarily leaves the room, only to return a few moments later with the crown Eren made for him just a few days ago - it’s a bunch of orange and red roses tied together, a larger crown that Eren intended to be fitted on Levi's head in a crooked position. Eren faintly remembers Levi wearing it the night before.

            Really, Eren makes Levi so _many_ little trinkets, Levi probably has them hidden in every crevice of his house. While this could very well be the same crown from last night, it could _also_ just as easily be one that Eren made three weeks ago.

Eren undoes one of the knots in the crown, and he wraps it around Levi’s neck, tying it back up and turning it into a necklace. Levi doesn’t argue against it, but he starts scratching at his throat, obviously bothered by the stems poking at his skin. He’s _just_ subtle enough about it, though, that Eren doesn’t think too much of it. If Levi has an issue with being itchy, he'll speak his mind about it sooner or later.

            “So? What do you think?” Eren asks, dragging Levi over to a mirror.

            Levi stares at his reflection for a moment, before sighing and saying, “It’s not bad. I’m just glad the stems don’t have thorns.”

            “Don’t act like you don’t like it.”

            “It feels weird.”

            “Why?”

            “I haven’t worn this stupid thing in _years,_ Eren," Levi tugs on the ends of his suit, "I feel like I’m going to die.”

            “Die from excitement, right?”

            “Not reall-”

            “Look, I’ll go get the stuff,” Eren decides, “What do people bring for picnics? We’ll need a towel, right? Or do you want to sit on a bench? We’d have to _find_ a bench, first, but-”

            “Eren?”

            “Huh?”

            “Sit down.”

            Eren gives Levi a slightly confused look, furrowing his eyebrows, but he does as he’s told, sitting back down on the end of the mattress. He leans on his hands, and Levi rummages through his bedroom before pulling out an older flower crown, one that’s filled with lavender flowers and is wilting around the edges. A few petals fall off, earning a swear from Levi as he approaches Eren and sets the crown on his head.

            “Princess,” Levi addresses, straightening out his little gift in Eren’s hair so that it lies just above his ears, “Where’s the jacket I gave you?”

            “I left it at home, why?”

            “Shit.”

            “Why, what’s wrong?”

            “Nothing. Gimme a minute.”

            Levi pulls off his suit jacket, and in a few swift movements, he has the coat over Eren’s shoulders, hanging on loosely. It slips off once, but Eren pulls it back up, holding onto the sides of it with his fingers.

            “There,” Levi says with a sense of finality, “Now, we’re both comfortable. You won’t get sick, and I won’t die from overheating, if _you’re_ the one who wears my jacket.”

            “You just don’t want to have to be seen in it.”

            “That, too. _Don’t act like you don’t like it,_ Eren.”

            Eren narrows his eyes at him, but he grabs onto the front of Levi’s shirt - careful to avoid ruining his new necklace - and he pulls Levi down to his height. The jacket falls off of his shoulders at that, but Eren doesn’t halt his actions, and he brings Levi in for a kiss. Levi doesn’t fight it, and in fact, it’s only seconds before he _returns_ the kiss, swiping his tongue over Eren’s mouth and begging for his way in. Eren lets him in, too, because he _loves_ Levi, and while he might be a little stubborn and demanding sometimes, Eren wants Levi to be _happy._ And if a French kiss is what it takes, then Eren will gladly share as many French kisses with Levi as his mouth will allow.

            Levi puts his hands on Eren, setting them just under his arms. He puts one leg on the mattress to keep himself upright, but Eren only vaguely registers this. He’s too absorbed in the way that Levi’s tongue feels against the inside of his cheek, filling his mouth and rendering him unable to think clearly. Levi has this effect on him, oftentimes leaving Eren speechless and lightheaded, at a loss for the right words to express how much he loves Levi and cherishes him. When Levi brings him flowers, when Levi tries to pull Eren down into the seat next to him and hug him, when Levi kisses him like _this_ \- Eren’s left with a heart beating faster than normal and cheeks flushed a bright red.

            Eren’s jaw is sore, overworked from Levi pressing himself against it. A moan slips out of his throat, and his vision blurs through the blush that spreads over his cheeks. He feels Levi’s hand against the back of his head, so obviously encouraged by Eren’s voice. Fingers thread through dark hair, scratching lightly at Eren’s scalp until Eren can hardly breathe anymore.

            Levi suddenly leaves Eren’s mouth with a little grunt, and he moves down to start pecking kisses against Eren’s throat - Levi really seems to like kissing Eren’s neck, but Eren hasn’t figured out why yet. He really doesn’t have any sort of clue as to what’s so special about his collar, but Levi apparently thinks that it’s wonderful, because Eren’s hardly been able to go a day these past few months without a neck kiss at some point.

            Nevertheless, Eren loves it. It feels nice and ticklish, having Levi press his lips to a point just beside his shoulder, as he does now. His kisses are slow and paced, and Eren honestly wants nothing more than to do the exact same to Levi and show him how good it feels. Not that Eren could ever live up to the warmth of Levi’s thin lips against his flesh, but it’s worth a try.

            Levi’s hands trail down to Eren’s legs, and Levi slides his hands up the skirt so that he can hold on loosely to Eren’s thighs. He rubs his thumbs into Eren’s skin, and it feels so _outstanding,_ Eren wants more. He wants more of Levi touching him, of the kisses that make Eren’s lips go numb, of the fingers that make Eren feel like he’s worth something. Levi’s painted nails brush over Eren’s inner legs, smooth and sleek against his flesh.

            It feels good. It feels _perfect._

            “Levi?” Eren whispers, his own hands now threading through _Levi’s_ hair. Levi’s undercut is bristly, but all the same welcoming, inviting Eren’s hand up higher into his longer, smoother strands of hair. And Eren does just that, ruining Levi’s neat head.

            “Huh?”

            “Can we get more flowers?”

            “Why, you don’t think we already have _enough?_ ”

            “No.”

            Levi gives off a little laugh at that, his voice so deep that it makes Eren's heart skip a beat. He stands up straight, pulling Eren to his feet.

            “I was actually thinking,” Levi suggests, “Maybe, if we buy enough flowers, we could put them on your dress. Then our outfits will match, right?”

            “You want us to match?”

            “It’d be cute. Maybe.”

            “You’re such a _loser,_ Levi.”

            “I’m a loser because I’m trying to be _romantic?_ ”

            “Yeah.” Eren picks Levi’s suit jacket up from the bed, and he places it on _Levi’s_ shoulders this time, who doesn’t make any remark about it but rather accepts it with the slightest of glares on his face. Eren laughs at that, and Levi jabs him in the gut for it.

            “Just hope that we don’t run into Hanji or anyone like that while we’re out.”

            “Why?”

            “I really don’t want to attend to _business_ today.”

            “Aw, don’t worry, Levi,” Eren smiles, walking a step ahead of Levi and leading him out into the living room, “If anything happens, _I_ can handle it.”

            “You’re a little cocky, aren’t you?”

            “At least _I’m_ not afraid of dressing up.”

            “That’s not even relevant.”

            “Well, _I_ think it is.”

            “Can we go now? Before my necklace dies out, please. Or before _I_ die out, whichever comes first.”

            Levi holds onto his jacket using his hands, the fabric obscuring a good part of his body. He looks funny, but in a good way, with flowers in his shoes and around his neck, black on his legs and shoulders. Levi probably gets this, which is why he’s so reluctant to go out with Eren today - but Eren can’t look much better, flowers in his hair and a dress over his body, a dress that'll soon enough be a garden if things go right.

            “How are we going to put flowers on me?” Eren asks suddenly.

            “I don’t know. We’ll figure something out. Maybe you could make a belt out of them.”

            “That’s not a bad idea, daddy.”

            “Then let’s go, _mommy._ ”

            Eren can’t stop smiling. It hurts his jaw, but he can’t fight it away. Especially not when Levi comes up next to him and wraps an arm around his waist, pulling him along. Especially not when Levi so willingly _does_ things for him, and Eren already feels that a part of him is so _attached_ to Levi. Levi _likes_ his dresses and skirts, he likes his nail polish and his growing love for flowers. Eren, too, finds Levi remarkable, in that he hasn’t at all let up on his obsession with orange juice and black clothing, and that he cherishes Eren in a way that nobody else ever has.

            Levi tries to keep Eren away from danger. Every time they go out late at night, or to somewhere unfamiliar, it’s always Levi who stands a little more in front of Eren than is really necessary. Eren can stick up for himself, sure, but Levi still acts like he’d die if Eren got even a _scratch_ on himself.

            “Princess,” Levi says, “Remind me later today that I need to clean the living room.”

            “I didn’t think you’d be such a neat freak, Levi.”

            “I’m _so_ sorry for not living in a pig sty.”

            Of all of the mafia members that Eren’s met, the only ones who hang around Levi on a constant basis are Hanji and Mike, and to an extent, Petra. Hanji treats Levi and Eren like they’re the best people on the planet, and Mike seems to be afraid to so much as _look_ at Eren. He’s very clearly still not over his little incident when he’d first called Eren _‘mom,’_ and Eren actually finds it pretty cute. It’s amusing to see such strong, muscular people get flustered over such small things. They might be rough when on the streets, but they’re really nice people otherwise. Eren would know, they treat him kindly for the most part and they even come to him for advice sometimes. Hanji’s pulled him aside multiple times before, to try to get him to help make a plan for their next course of action.

            Eren could never pick a favorite, though. Even when the regulars are put up against the people who have only made an appearance once in all of the months that Eren’s been here, Eren couldn’t say that any one person is more valuable than the other. Because they’re _all_ crucial.

            And, _maybe_ Levi likes to introduce Eren to the members by calling him _“their mommy.”_ Eren has to suppress a grin every time that it’s uttered from Levi’s stoic, unfeeling face and his tightly drawn lips. Levi’s gotten a few odd looks from the other mafia members for it, but now Eren hears himself referred to as the mother more than he hears himself referred to by his own name.

            Eren’s not sure if Mike understands exactly what he’s caused. But Eren _loves_ it, and he loves teasing Levi about being the daddy. Levi nearly has a heart attack every time Eren says it to him.

            He’s a _loser,_ but Eren has a thing for losers.

            “So what happened to wanting to protect me from getting a cold?”

            “ _You’re_ the one who put the jacket on me, Eren. Do you want it back? Are you feeling bad again? I’ve been telling you to drink more orange juice, Eren, it strengthens your immune system.”

            “But I haven’t even gotten sick _once_ in all the time that we’ve been together.”

            “It’s hiding, obviously. It could be one of those viruses that show up at weird times. And if you don’t start doing what I say, you’re going to fall ill and I’ll have to take care of you.”

            “You worry too much.”

            “Just watch, princess. Your cute little ass is going to get a horrible disease, all because you _refuse_ to drink some damn juice, and then what? What’s a mafia without its mommy? Nothing, Eren. It’s _nothing._ ”

            “But you did just fine before I showed up.”

            “You don’t know that. For all you know, we could’ve been shit.”

            “But you _weren’t._ ”

            “Maybe not. But we _could’ve_ been. You’re not still hurt, are you?”

            “Hurt?”

            “This morning you said that you didn’t feel well.”

            “Oh,” Eren waves it off, “No, I’m fine. It only lasted about an hour.”

            “ _An hour?_ ” Levi scrunches his nose, “I _told_ you to let me buy-”

            “Stop _worrying,_ ” Eren interrupts, “I’m _fine,_ Levi.”

            “Are you?”

            “I am.” Levi doesn’t respond to that, so Eren adds, “You know, I _really_ hope that you get sick before I do, just so that I can rub it in your face that orange juice and jackets don’t prevent illness.”

            “ _Shut it, princess._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find Eren's outfits [here](http://pureuda.tumblr.com/tagged/eren%20dress%20up)
> 
> Also, maybe follow [my tumblr?](http://jaegerkisses.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> Title is based on this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUzMh5q5PkI


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